RE 


LLUSTRATED. 


5\\S)\Aas  pea^\^\.O^^U^^ 


THE    AUTHOR    IN    HIS    SANCTUM. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA: 


TWO  HUNDRED  MILE  TOUR 


THROUGH 


THE    MAINE    FORESTS. 


Thomas  Sedgwick  Steele. 


'  If  thou  art  worn  and  hard  beset 
With  sorrows  that  thou  wouldst  forget, 
If  thou  wouldst  read  a  lesson,  that  will  keep 
Thy  heart  from  fainting,   and  thy  soul  from  sleep, 
Go  to  the  woods  and  hills!  —  no  tears 
Dim  the  sweet  look  that  Nature  wears." 

Longfellow. 


WITH   SIXTY  ILLUSTRATIONS, 


BOSTON: 
ESTES     AND     LAURIAT, 

PUBLISHERS. 


Copyright,  1882, 
By  Thomas  Sedgwick  Steele. 


University  Press: 
John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridge. 


X^f^^. 


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x^i<<ty 


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"1  4 

i 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  1. 


An  Angler's  Soliloquy.— Isaak  Walton's  ideas.— A  fish- 
mg  minister.— The  route  to  the  woods.— Moosehead 
Lake  and  vicinity, I'age  19 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  different  routes  through  Maine.— The  Party,  Guides, 
Baggage,  Provisions,  Canoes,  Arms.— Camp  appetite.— 
Studymg  Geography.— The  start.— Bid  adieu  to  Moose- 
head  Lake.— North  East  Carry.— West  Branch  of  the 
Penobscot.— First  Camp  on  Moosehorn  stream. 

Page  27 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  III. 


Our  first  Camp  at  mouth  of  Moosehorn  stream. — A.ccommodating  one's 
self  to  circumstances. — The  "Rips"  of  the  "West  Branch. — Running 
the  Rapids. — Pine  Stream  Palls. — Chesuncook  Lake. — Umbazooksus 
River. — A  "Bear"  welcome. — Mud  Pond  and  "Carry." — A  Picture 
diflBcult  to  photograph. — Third  Camp  at  Chamberlin  Lake. 

Page  51 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Chamberlin  Farm  and  Lake. — A  novel  fly-trap. —  A  lesson  in  Natural 
History. — Telosmis  Lake. — The  "  Cut." — A  three  days'  rain-storm. 
"Webster  Lake  and  Dam. — An  Apparition. — The  weird  stillness  of 
the  primeval  forests. — An  accommodating  fly  catcher,      .     Page  64 

CHAPTER  V. 

Passage  of  Webster  Stream. — An  exciting  day's  sport. — The  damaged 
canoes. — The  canvas  boat  triumphant. — Grand  Falls. — Photograph- 
ing along  the  route. — Indian  "Carry." — East  Branch  of  the  Penob- 
scot.— Matagamonsis  Lake. — The  discovery  of  a  new  Lake. — Trout 
Brook  Farm. — Grand,  or  Matagamon  Lake. — A  captured  sal- 
mon,     Page  93 

CHAPTER  VL 

Dangers  of  wandering  from  Camp. — An  experience  on  Lake  Superior. — 
The  Falls  of  the  East  Branch. — Stair  Falls. — Incidents  of  Camp 
life.  An  Enchanted  Bower. — Hunt's  Farm. — An  Artist's  Canoe. — 
The  ascent  of  Hunt's  Mountain. — A  reverie. — "Whetstone  Falls. — 
Discovery  of  Jasper  on  Ledge  Falls. — Dawn  of  Civilization, — Mat- 
tawamkeag. — The  East  Branch  Canvas-ed, Page  117 


ILLUSTRATION.S. 


1.  THE    AUTHOR   IN   HIS   SANCTUM,      ...-..•...     Frontispiece. 

2.  DEDICATION, Paok    3 

3.  THE    ANGLER, 5 

4.  CANOE    AND    CAMERA, 17 

4a.  AN   ODD    SPECIMEN, .  18 

5.  ISAAK    WALTON 21 

6.  KINEO    HOUSE, 25 

7.  ANTICIPATION, 26 

8.  PICKING    A    COURSE 28 

9.  MAP    OF    THE    TOUR    THROUGH    THE    MAINE    FORESTS,         ...  30 

10.  THE    GUIDES 33 

11.  WE    DREAM    OF    GAME, 38 

12.  HOME    APPETITE, 41 

13.  CAMP    APPETITE 41 

14.  MORRIS'S— NORTHEAST    CARRY 43 

15.  IN    SYMPATHY    WITH    NATURE 46 

16.  DISCOURAGEMENTS, 48 

17.  "CHANGING    PASTURE," 49 

18.  PENKNIFE    SOUVENIRS, 52 

19.  PINE    STREAM    FALLS ...  54 

30.  MUD    POND    CARRY '       ...  56 


8  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

21.  MUD    POND— LOOKING    EAST 59 

22.  "THIS    IS    THE    WAY    I    LONG    HAVE    SOUGHT," 62 

23.  REFLECTIONS, 63 

24.  CHAMBERLIN    FARM— LOOKING    WEST, 65 

25.  THE    ROOM    INTO    WHICH    WE    WERE    USHERED,        .        .        .        .        .  66 

26.  CAMP    ON    CHAMBERLIN    LAKE, 67 

27.  NOT    IN    THE    PATENT    OFFICE 70 

28.  A    STUDY    IN    NATURAL    HISTORY 71 

29.  GREAT    NORTHERN    DIVER 71 

30.  TELOS    CUT    AND    LAKE 73 

31.  PHOTOGRAPHY— THE    WET    AND    DRY    PROCESS    ILLUSTRATED, .       .  77 

32.  TELOS    DAM    AND    RIVER 79 

34.  AN    APPARITION, 83 

35.  WEBSTER    LAKE    AND    DAM, 86 

36.  FLY    CATCHERS    VERSUS    FLY    FISHING 88 

37.  ALLUREMENTS, 90 

38.  STUDY    OF    TROUT-BY    THE    AUTHOR 91 

39.  RUNNING    RAPIDS    ON    WEBSTER    RIVER, 95 

40.  LUNCH    TIME 99 

41.  IT'S    NOT    ALL    POETRY, 101 

42.  GRAND    FALLS, 103 

43.  STARTING    A    BOOM, 107 

45.  A    BOOM 109 

46.  DISCOVERY    OP    A    NEW    LAKE, Ill 

47.  MATAGAMONSIS    LAKE 113 

48.  OUR    SALMON 114 

49.  MATAGAMON    OR    GRAND    LAKE, .  115 

50.  ON    THE    EAST    BRANCH, c       .       .       .        .  120 

51.  DROPPING    CANOES    OVER    FALLS, 122 

52.  ACCEPTING    THE    SITUATION, 123 

53.  STAIR    FALLS = 125 

54.  HULLING    MACHINE    FALLS, 126 


ILL  USTRA  TI0N8.  9 

55.  THE    ARCHES-EAST    BRANCH    OF    THE    PENOBSCOT,         ....  128 

56.  HUNT'S    FARM, 130 

57.  MT.    KATAHDIN— STUDY    BY    F.    E.    CHURCH, 132 

68.  JUNCTION    OF    EAST    AND    WEST    BRANCHES    OP    THE    PENOBSCOT,  1.34 

59.  GLIMPSES    OP    CIVILIZATION    BEGIN    TO    DAWN, 137 

60.  NET    RESULTS, 139 


Introduction. 


LOVE  for  the  woods  and  out-door  sports  begins 
early  in  life.  I  can  hardly  remember  when  the  sight 
of  a  gnn  or  fish-rod  did  not  awaken  within  my  boy- 
ish fancy  a  feverish  desire  to  follow  their  lead,  be  the 
tramp  ever  so  hard.  There  never  was  anything  to  stop 
the  growth  of  this  passion  until  I  reached  the  age  of 
ten  years,  when  I  nearly  destroyed  a  boy's  eye  with 
an  arrow,  in  my  endeavors  to  excel  in  archery. 

This  act  slightly  dampened  my  ardor  for  some 
months,  and  retarded  that  progression  in  field  sports 
I  was  then  making. 

There  is  also  something  so  free,  so  stimulating  in  the 
woods  life,  uncontaminated  by  the  gossip,  allurements, 
and  exacting  dress  of  the  usual  watering  places,  that 
after  one  season's  enjoyment,  a  return  to. these  wilder- 


1 2  INTROD  UCTIOir 

nesses,   and    repeating    its    pleasures,    is    the   constant 
thouglit  of  the  future. 

It  also  teaches  very  early  self-reliance,  and  a  phi- 
losophical endurance  of  many  conditions  of  life,  which 
add  to  one's  cheerfulness,  while  one  is  surprised  how 
few  of  the  necessities  are  essential  to  produce  happiness. 

"  Man  's  rich  with  little,  were  his  judgment  true ; 
Nature  is  frugal,  and  her  wants  are  few." 

The  study  also  of  natural  history  in  the  woods  takes 
one  into  a  realm  which  has  no  bounds,  constantly 
enlarging  his  love  and  admiration  of  God's  works.  The 
oft-repeated  quotation,  "Spare  the  rod  and  spoil  the 
child,"  has  been  misconstrued  for  many  a  long  day,  and 
if  I  had  known  early  in  life  its  real  significance  it  would 
hardly  have  made  so  doleful  an  impression. 

There  is  no  doubt  to-day  in  my  mind  that  this  "  rod  " 
meant  a  flshing-rod,  a,nd  that  the  timely  cherishing  of 
it  in  youth  tends  to  develop  that  portion  of  one's 
nature  to  which  the  former  use  was  entirely  innocent. 

"  The  surest  road  to  health,  say  what  you  will, 
Is  never  to  suppose  we  shall  be  ill. 
Most  of  those  evils  we  poor  mortals  know 
From  doctors  and  imagination  flow." 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

And  now,  after  spending  many  of  the  annual  short 
vacations  allotted  to  an  active  business  life  in  various 
parts  of  this  country,  from  Canada  to  Florida,  in  the 
exhilarating  sport  of  hunting,  fishing,  and  exploring,  and 
deriving  great  physical  good  thereby,  it  would  not  seem 
strange  that  the  writer  should  be  desirous  of  exciting 
in  the  hearts  of  others  a  taste  for  like  recreations.  In 
placing  before  my  readers  this  sketch  of  a  late  canoe 
tour  through  Maine  —  especially  that  j)ortion  pertaining 
to  the  east  branch  of  the  Penobscot — I  am  j)erfectly 
aware  that  no  two  trips  through  that  region  can  be 
made  under  the  same  circumstances.  All  days  in  the 
woods  are  alike,  and  still  they  are  very  unlike.  Weather, 
height  of  water,  companions,  canoes,  guides,  sunshine  or 
shadow,  a  hundred  and  one  things,  go  to  make  a  day 
pleasant  or  unpleasant  to  the  tourist.  During  the  month 
occupied  in  making  this  trip,  the  writer  experienced 
but  four  days  of  rain.  But  the  first  rain-storm  could 
not  have  been  more  opportune,  as  it  raised  the  water 
of  Webster  stream  to  a  height  that  permitted  the  pas- 
sage of  my  four  canoes,  when  otherwise  I  should  have 
endured  a  wearisome  "  carry "  of  seven  miles.  Unless 
there  is  sufficient  water  in  Webster  stream  to  float  a 
canoe  with  ease,   I  should  not  recommend  the  tour  of 


1 4  INTROD  UCTION. 

the  east  brancli,  for  the  numerous  portages  will  hardly 
compensate    for   the  pleasures  of  the  trij^. 

The  writer  distinctly  remembers  meeting  an  angler 
who  had  followed  the  recommendation  of  a  guide  book 
on  Maine,  and  attempted  the  journey  from  AUagash 
river  to  Chamberlin  lake.  Instead  of  an  abundance 
of  water,  the  stream  was  almost  diy,  and  a  "carry" 
of  seven  miles  had  to  be  made  to  Chamberlin  lake. 
Again,  the  canvas  boat  added  no  little  enjoyment  to 
the  pleasures  of  the  excursion,  and  the  trip  would 
have  lost  many  of  its  bright  experiences  without  its  com- 
panionship. 

True,  it  received  many  a  cut,  but  was  more  easily 
re[)aired  than  a  birch  bark,  while  its  qualities  of  endur- 
ance after  such  an  ordeal  permitted  it  to  spend  the 
following  winter  season  under  the  tropical  skies  of 
Florida. 

No  better  companion  could  have  been  selected  than 
Mr.  H.  K.  Morley,  of  the  Continental  Life  Insurance 
Company,  Hartford  (the  "quartermaster"  of  the  expe- 
dition), and  to  his  suggestions  and  efforts  to  make  the 
best  of  all  difficulties  the  writer  acknowledges  himself 
indebted.  It  is  surprising  how  selfishness,  egotism, 
and  other  like  traits  of  character  will  develop  in  the 
woods  when  it  was  never  recognized  in  the  individual 


INTROD  UCTION.  1 5 

at  home,  and  one  must  liave  the  true  spirit  of  patient 
endurance  for  the  sake  of  accomplishment  in  order  at 
times  to  enjoy  the  forest  life. 

Thus  the  entire  trip  was  made  on  the  "  flood  tide," 
from  the  state  of  the  weather  to  the  volume  of  water 
in  the  streams,  facilitating  the  taking  of  photographs, 
and  adding  height  and  power  to  the  many  picturesque 
falls  on  the  route.  Until  I  am  corrected  by  further 
explorations,  I  think  I  am  right  in  the  discovery  of  a 
new  lake  (not  found  on  any  map),  between  Mataga- 
monsis  and  Matao-amon  lakes. 

An  enlargement  of  Hay  creek  has  been  suggested 
as  this  body  of  water,  but  if  so,  all  the  larger  lakes  in 
this  region  are  but  a  part  of  the  preceding  stream  which 
empties  into  them.  This  lake  has  the  same  area  of 
square  miles  as  Telosmis  lake,  and  empties  its  waters  in 
to  the  sluggish  stream  which  connects  the  two  large 
bodies  of   water   just  mentioned. 

The  pleasure  of  canoeing  these  undiscovered  lakes 
and  streams,  and  living  from  day  to  day  upon  their 
resources,  was  an  element  of  indescribable  delight. 
Nowhere  do  such  rich  thoughts  of  God's  bounty,  grand- 
eur, and  control  of  nature  impress  one  as  in  the  depths 
of  the  forests,  and  there  are  reveries  forced  upon  one, 
for  which  a  city  of  brick  walls  and  dusty  streets  have  no 


1 6  INTBOD  UCTIOm 

affinity.  The  individuality  of  each  tree,  the  strange  and 
rare  plants  and  flowers  scattered  along  the  indistinct 
path  one  wanders,  all  coupled  with  the  weird  stillness  of 
the  forest,  bring  one  nearer  to  God  and  His  works  than 
almost  any  other  situation.  I  do  not  suggest  in  this 
book  the  various  ways  of  camping  out,  or  the  necessary 
preparations  for  the  same,  as  there  are  special  works  on 
those  subjects;  I  simply  desire  to  direct  the  attention  of 
tourists,  and  more  especially  artists,  to  a  section  of  Maine 
no^v  hut  little  Icnown,,  but  wdiich,  if  once  explored,  will 
yield  to  them  a  bright  harvest  of  pleasure  and  studies. 

THE  AUTHOR. 

Haetford,  Conn. 


Canoe  and  Camera. 


TWO  HUNDRED  MILES  THROUGH  THE  MAINE  FORESTS. 


ILLUSTRATED 

BY 

Tkue  Williams,  Benjamin  Day,  Aug.  Will,  and  other  Artists. 


'£ 


CHAPTER  I. 


"  I  in  these  flowery  meads  would  be ; 
These  ciystal  streams  should  solace  me ; 
To  whose  harmonious,  bubbling  noise 
,  with  my  angle  would  rejoice." 

Walton. 


AN  ANGLER'S  SOLILOQUY.— ISAAK  WALTON'S  IDEAS.— A  FISH- 
ING MINISTER.— THE  ROUTE  TO  THE  WOODS.— MOOSEHEAD 
LAKE  AND  VICINITY. 

J-N  the  good  old  times,  when  tlie  requirements  of  busi- 
ness kept  one  out  in  tlie  open  air,  and  each  client  or 
patient  resided  many  miles  away,  and  the  only  communi- 
cation was  by  foot  or  on  horseback,  one  did  not  need  the 
indispensable  rest  and  recreation  of  to-day. 

But  now  all  is  changed,  and  within  a  hand's  grasp  at 
our  offices  -we  can  communicate  by  the  sti'ange  wires  of 
the  telephone  or  telegraph  with  friends  miles  away,  and 
save  ourselves  those  steps  which  would  no  doubt  be  of 
great  benefit  if  taken. 

^  2 


20  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

In  tliis  fast  world  of  ours,  where  the  work  of  a  week 
is  croAvded  into  a  day,  recreation  is  a  necessity,  and 
nowhere,  it  seems  to  me,  has  it  greater  recuperative 
power  than  in  the  depths  of  the  forest. 

It  is  not  as  a  plea  for  the  angler  that  I  pen  these 
lines — he  asks  for  neither  judge  nor  jury  on  his  tastes, 
although  they  no  doubt  frequently  receive  the  verdict  of 
both ;  he  is  a  law  unto  himself. 

"It  is  a  very  easy  thing  to  scoff  at  any  art  or  I'ecrea- 
tion,  a  little  wit  mixed  with  ill-nature,  confidence,  and 
malice  will  do  it,  though  they  are  often  caught  in  their 
own  trap." 

It  is  only  a  few  weeks  since  that  I  was  rallied  on  my 
pet  hobby  by  a  prominent  business  man,  who  thought 
one  could  hardly  be  in  his  right  mind  who  had  a  fond- 
ness for  life  in  the  woods,  and  that  it  must  give  one  a 
tendency  to  coarseness,  rather  than  improving  our  higher 
and  more  aesthetic  tastes.  But  this  gentleman  was  wel- 
come to  his  ideas,  for  he  Avas  then  an  iuA^alid  from  a 
nervous  disease,  and  had  spent  the  prime  of  his  life 
regaining  his  health,  Avhen  possibly  an  occasional  day's 
tramp  beside  a  trout  stream  would  have  been  a  matter 
of  economy  to  l^oth  purse  and  body. 

The  father  of  anglers,  Isaak  Walton,  puts  this  same 
idea    in    a    still    better    light,    for    although    born    in 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


21 


1593,  lie  knew  how  to  read  the  human  nature  of  to-day; 
he  says:  "Yes!  there  are  many  grave  and  serious  men 


Avho  pity  us   anglers, 
but   there   are    many 
more  grave  and  serious  men  whom  we  an- 
glers condemn  and  pity." 

"Men  that  are  taken  to  be  grave  because 
nature  hath  made  them  of  a  sour  complexion,  money- 
getting   men  that  spend  all  their  time,  first  in  getting. 


22  CANOE  AND  CAMERA, 

and  next  in  anxious  care  to  keep  it!  men  that  are  con 
demned  to  be  ricli,  and  then  always  busy  and  discon- 
tented— for  these  poor  rich  men  we  anglers  pity  them 
perfectly,  and  stand  in  no  need  to  borrow  theii*  thoughts 
to  think  ourselves  so  happy." 

Some  one  has  said  that  an  angler  consists  of  a  rod 
with  a  fool  at  one  end  and  a  fish  at  the  other.  But 
Walton,  in  his  meanderings  beside  the  streams,  is  re- 
ported to  have  had  the  constant  companionship  of  a 
book,  and  between  the  nibbles  of  the  fish  stored  his 
mind  with  useful  knowledge. 

While  hunting  in  the  western  part  of  Connecticut 
last  autumn,  a  good  story  was  told  me  of  a  minister  who, 
soon  after  his  settlement  in  the  parish,  greatly  annoyed 
his  flock  by  his  habitual  fondness  for  angling.  He 
would  start  off  early  on  Monday  morning,  and  would 
keep  up  the  diversion  until  late  Saturday  night ;  never- 
theless, the  quality  of  his  sermons,  and  the  deep  thoughts 
which  they  contained,  so  pleased  his  peoj^le  that  similar 
excursions  were  suggested  to  the  pastors  of  other 
churches  in  the  town. 

So  much  for  an  introduction  to  the  inmost  thoughts 
of  a  lover  of  the  angle,  but  possibly  you  would  like  to 
know  how  to  reach  the  solitudes  of  Maine,  whose  influ- 
ences are  so  bewitching  to  the  x^rriter,  and  where,  witli 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  23 

the  reader  as  companion,  lie  proposes  to  enjoy  a  canoe 
ride  of  two  hundred  miles. 

To  one  about  to  make  a  trip  to  Maine,  we  Avould  say, 
start  in  all  cases  from  Boston,  even  though  you  live  in 
Chicago.  Take  the  7  p.m.  express  on  the  Eastern  rail- 
road for  Bangor,  thereby  having  a  good  ni;;lit's  rest  in  a 
sleeper,  aw^aking  refreshed  for  the  pleasure*  of  the  next 
day's  journey. 

But  those  who  have  never  traveled  this  road  will  do 
well  to  see  their  flight  be  not  in  the  night,  for,  commenc- 
ing with  Boston,  its  main  line  extends  along  the  shore, 
giving  here  and  there  glimpses  of  quiet  bays  and  shady 
inlets,  and  through  cities  noted  .-for  their  thrift  and  pros- 
perity almost  from  the  country's  settlement. 

One  would  be  well  repaid  for  a  day  spent  at  almost 
any  station  along  the  route,  as  the  eastern  shore  of  New 
England  has  often  been  the  subject  for  busy  pens  and 
famous  pencils.  From  Massachusetts  Bay  to  Passama- 
quoddy  and  the  Isle  of  Great  Manan,  it  is  filled  with 
nooks  and  beaches  where,  in  the  hot  months  of  summer, 
the  seeker  for  rest  and  renewed  health  can  choose  the 
spot  suited  to  his  taste.  The  Eastern  railroad — with  its 
numerous  branches  and  connecting  lines — fonns  the  most 
direct  and  desirable  means  of  access  to  these  points  of 
interest. 


24  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

It  does  not,  liowever,  limit  the  choice  to  the  seashore, 
for  it  leads  also  to  the  heart  of  the  famous  White  Moun- 
tains, and  to  the  vast  and  partially  explored  lake  region 
of  Maine,  towards  which  I  had  set  my  face. 

Lynn,  eleven  miles  from  Boston,  famed  for  its 
immense  factories  of  boots  and  shoes,  lies  at  the  head 
of  Nahant  Bay,  from  which  there  is  a  delightful  drive 
along  the  shore  to  Nahant,  a  noted,  picturesque  watering- 
place.  Near  by  is  Swampscott,  its  shores  lined  wdth 
summer  cottages,  and  from  here  a  short  branch  road  runs 
to  rocky  Marblehead,  a  spot  mentioned  in  letters  of 
travel  as  early  as  the  year  1633. 

Salem,  four  miles  further  on,  famous  since  the  days 
of  witchcraft,  and  once  the  principal  port  of  entry  for 
New  England,  not  only  has  its  pleasant  situation  to 
attract  the  visitor,  but  is  full  of  relics  of  the  olden  time 
of  interest  to  the  antiquary.  It  was  the  birthplace  of 
many  men  whose  names  have  become  a  part  of  oui* 
nation's  history  and  literature. 

At  Beverly,  the  Gloucester  branch  leads  down  to  the 
sea  at  Cape  Ann,  with  its  sunny  beaches  and  rocky  head- 
lands, quiet  when  the  wind  is  off  shore,  but  where  the 
waves  come  thundering  in  when  driven  before  an 
easterly  gale. 

But  we  have  hardly  time  to  speak  of  Newburyport, 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


25 


another  old  seacoast  town,  and  the  lovely  view  to  be  had 
from  its  heights  of  the  surrounding  country  and  ocean, 
but  hasten  through  to  Salisbury,  Hampton,  and  Kye 
Beach. 

Portsmouth  is  quiet  and  quaint,  and  at  Conway  Junc- 
tion, eleven  miles  from  Portsmouth,  passengers  change 
cars  for  the  White  Mountains.  At  Portland,  the  angler 
makes  choice  of  the  I'outes  to  the  two  great  trouting 
paradises  of  Maine — Rangeley  Lakes  and  Moosehead 
Lake. 


}i&  If  «*W*'*^=:r^s 


If  to  the  former  place,  he  takes  the  cars  for  Farming- 
ton,  eighty-five  miles  directly  north  from  Portland,  and 
then  by  stage  thirty-six ,  miles  over  the  mountains  to 
Kimball's  Head  of  the  First  Rangeley  Lake,  where  he 
will  receive  a  hearty  welcome  fi'om  as  cordial  a  company 


26 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


of  fishermen  as  it  lias  been  my  pleasure  in  other  seasons 
to  enjoy. 

If  the  latter  be  his  choice,  guns,  rods,  blankets,  and 
other  camp  equipage  are  shifted  to  the  train  of  the 
Maine  Central  railroad  for  Bangor,  where  the  cars  are 
ao:ain  chancred  for  the  road  to  Blanchard,  which  is  twelve 
miles  from  Moosehead  Lake.  After  a  substantial  dinner, 
the  tourist  mounts  to  the  top  of  the  commodious  Con- 
cord stage  drawn  by  four  horses,  and  enjoys  a  delightful 
ride  of  eleven  miles  over  the  hills  to  Greenville,  foot  of 
Moosehead  Lake.  Here  the  baggage  is  again  changed  to 
a  steamer,  and  a  most  enjoyable  sail  of  twenty  miles 
lands  one  at  the  Kineo  House,  which  stands  on  a  prom- 
inent point  of  rocks  extending  far  out  into  Moosehead 
Lake,  a  convenient  center  of  attraction  for  those  who 
dislike  the  unadulterated  life  in  the  woods. 


ANTICIPATION. 


CHAPTER   11. 

"  A  bard  is  weak  enough  you'll  fiud, 

A  humble  cat-gut  twangler : 

But  for  a  man  of  simple  mind 

Commend  me  to  an  Angler. 

He'll  fish  and  fish  the  whole  year  round 

Devotedly  fanatic, 

To  catch  one  fish  that  weighs  a  pound 

And  then  his  joy's  ecstatic." 

THE  DIFFERENT  ROUTES  THROUGH  MAINE.— THE  PARTY, 
GUIDES,  —  BAGGAGE,  —  PROVISIONS,  —  CANOES,  —  ARMS.  —  A 
CA^IP  APPETITE. -STUDYING  GEOGRAPHY— THE  START.— 
BID  ADIEU  TO  MOOSEHEAD  LAKE.— NORTHEAST  "  CARRY."— 
WEST  BRANCH  OF  THE  PENOBSCOT.— LANDING  FOR  OUR 
FIRST  CAMP  MOUTH  OF  MOOSEHORN  STREAM. 

UN  leaving  Mooseliead  Lake,  tlie  seeker  for  healtli  or 
recreation  in  Maine,  who  desires  to  study  nature  in  its 
primeval  state,  and  drink  from  lier  fountains  tlie  blessings 
whicli  slie  can  so  bountifully  bestow,  lias  three  routes  of 


28 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


travel  before  liim.     These  routes  are  known  as  the  St. 
John's  River,  the  West  Branch  of  the  Penobscot,  and  the 

East  Branch  of  the  Penobscot 
trips,  and  have  for  their  point 
of  departure  the  Kineo  House, 
Moosehead   Lake,    where    all 
is    necessary   in 
supplies  can  al- 
be  obtained. 
e  most  frequent- 
and  on   ac- 
count    of 
its  ease 
generally 
recommen- 
ded by  the 
guides,    is 
that  to  the 
St.  John's 
River, 
which  one 
reaches  by 

PICKING   A   COURSE.  P  a  S  S  1  U  g 

north  from 
Moosehead  Lake  through  the  West  Branch,  Chesuncook, 


MOOSEHEAD  LAKE 

AND    THE    HEADWATERS    OF   THE 
PENOBSCOT    HIVER 

RHEP/WKD   EXPRESSLr  FOR  T.3EDCW1CK  STtElE 

^'CMOE  &  CAMERA" 

Br    W.R.CURTIS    C.C. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  31 

Chambeiiin,  Eagle,  and  Churchill  Lakes  to  the  Allagash 
River,  and  thence  northeast  through  Canada,  emerging 
from  the  woods  at  Grand  Falls,  New  Brunswick.  The 
second,  or  the  West  Branch  of  the  Penobscot  trip,  passes 
southeast  through  Chesuncook  to  Ripogenus  Lake,  and 
follows  the  West  Branch  through  Pamedomcook  and 
Twin  Lakes  into  the  Penobscot  River. 

The  third  and  most  difficult  course  through  this  wilder- 
ness, is  the  tour  of  the  East  Branch  of  the  Penobscot, 
which  leaves  the  St.  John's  route  at  Chamberlin  Lake, 
and  passes  south  through  Telosmis  Lake  and  then  east 
through  Telos  and  Webster  Lake  and  River  to  the  Mat- 
agamonsis  and  Matagamon  or  Grand  Lake  into  the  East 
Branch,  and  after  tumbling  over  the  most  picturesque 
falls  and  rapids  in  the  entire  State,  unites  with  the  West 
Branch  of  the  Penobscot  at  Medway.^ 

To  retain  my  good  health,  and  enjoy  for  the  fifth  season 

*  Still  another  trip  can  be  made  from  Churchill  Lake  through  Spider, 
Echo,  and  Mansungan  Lake  and  River,  to  the  Aroostook  waters  comring  out 
in  Maine  at  Caribou. 

Col.  Lyman  B.  GofF  of  Pawtucket,  R.  I.,  with  his  guides  Kelly  and  Man- 
sell,  surveyed  this  route  last  season,  cutting  a  good  path  on  the  many  "car- 
ries" for  the  easy  transportation  of  canoes,  and  to  him  the  author  is  indebted 
for  new  and  correct  drawings  of  that  region  which  have  been  added  to  this 
map.  But  the  scenery  is  uninteresting  and  the  difficulties  will  not  compen- 
sate one  for  the  labor  endured,  and  woe  betide  the  tourist  if  the  water  is  low. 


32  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

the  dearly-loved  woods  and  lakes  of  Maine,  tlie  snmmer  of 
1879  soon  found  me  again  within  her  fascinations,  a  wil- 
ling captive  to  her  charms.  We  have  never  failed  in  the 
past  to  impress  upon  our  friends  that  one  companion  is 
sufficient  for  company  in  the  woods,  but  this  year,  the 
party  although  it  had  small  beginnings  increased  in  the 
ratio  of  the  demands  of  my  tastes.  As  gathered  upon 
th^  deck  of  the  little  steamer  "  Day  Dream  "  one  bright 
summer  morning,  while  on  her  way  from  the  Kineo 
House  to  the  head  of  Moosehead  Lake,  we  numbered 
six  souls. 

I  had  chosen  for  my  route  this  year,  the  East  Branch 
of  the  Penobscot  River,  a  canoe  paddle  of  almost  two 
hundred  miles,  as  offering  in  its  swift  running  streams, 
lovely  waterfalls,  and  majestic  mountains,  that  excitement 
and  adventure  which  my  love  of  nature  craved.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  writer,  the  party  was  divided  as  follows : 
"  Quartermaster,"  photographic  artist,  and  three  guides, 
named  respectively  Bowley,  lYeller,  and  Morris.  My 
friend  who  is  designated  as  "  Quartermaster  "  did  not  re- 
ceive his  title  from  any  such  position  in  my  expedition,  but 
from  holding  an  office  of  like  character  in  a  New  England 
regiment  during  our  late  war,  and  he  proved  by  the  daily 
use  of  his  knife  in  arranging  the  comforts  of  the  camp, 
that  he  was  to  the  manor  born. 


THE  GUIDES. 


Bowley.  Morris. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  35 

Our  artist  was  from  the  "Land  of  Steady  Habits," 
whose  sole  duty  it  was  to  care  for  the  delicate  camera 
and  glass  j)lates,  together  with  the  necessary  but  ill-fla- 
vored bottles  of  his  kit,  and  to  be  constantly  on  the  alert 
for  choice,  or  grand  bits  of  scenery  along  the  route.  In 
such  a  tour  as  this,  with  the  many  accidents  ever  atten- 
dant on  camp  life,  it  was  no  small  matter  to  carry  through 
the  wilderness  the  articles  pertaining  to  our  photograph- 
er's kit. 

AVe  had  fifty  glass  plates  six  by  eight  inches  each, 
which  were  prepared  and  developed  on  the  ground  by 
what  is  known  as  the  "  wet  process."  Careless  treatment 
in  cartage  on  the  "  carries,"  or  a  sudden  jar  might  at  any 
moment  damage  them  beyond  recovery,  which  would  im- 
mediately subvert  one  of  the  principal  objects  of  the 
exploration.  Then  each  chemical  had  its  individuality  of 
importance,  from  the  ether  to  the  collodion,  the  destroy- 
ing of  which  would  put  an  end  to  the  pleasures  of  photo- 
graphing. 

The  first  and  oldest  of  the  guides,  Bowley,  was  a  man 
of  forty-eight  years,  and  lived  at  Shirley,  Maine.  He  was 
five  and  a  half  feet  high,  weighed  one  hundred  and  ninety 
pounds,  had  brown  whiskers,  turning  to  gray,  checkered 
shirt,  weather-beaten  suit,  soft  brown  hat,  and  a  kind 
sympathetic  face,  which  I  found  before  the  trip  was  ended 


36  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

truly  expressed  his  manly  character.  I  was  sometimes 
inclined  to  think  him  slow,  and  to  find  fault  with  the  con- 
sumptive color  of  his  biscuit  and  "  flipjacks,"  and  urged 
him  to  greater  diligence  and  variety  in  the  cooking  depart- 
ment, but  in  matters  of  importance  he  always  proved  his 
soundness — but  he  had  one  fault,  he  could  scent  a  "  carry  " 
three  days  ahead,  and  remember  its  hardships  and  bur- 
dens two  days  after.  He  delighted  to  tell  of  his  many 
interesting  experiences  in  the  wilderness,  and  of  his  geo- 
logical researches  through  Maine  some  years  ago  with  Prof. 
Hitchcock,  of  Amherst  college,  while  his  moose,  bear,  and 
caribou  stories  were  endless. 

The  second  guide,  Weller,  aged  thirty-seven  years, 
was  a  French  Canadian  from  Quebec,  but  living  at  this 
time  in  Greenville,  Me.  He  was  five  feet  four  inches 
high,  weighed  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  pounds,  with 
reddish  moustache  and  whiskers,  brown  hair,  and  was 
dressed  in  a  dark-colored  woolen  suit.  He  was  a  fine 
waterman,  and  occasionally  witty,  as  is  proverbial  with 
his  class. 

The  third  and  last  guide,  Morris,  was  a  vivacious 
young  man  of  twenty-three  summers,  but  who  looked 
all  of  thirty.  He  was  about  five  feet  three  inches  high, 
weighed  one  hundred  and  sixty  pounds,  had  light  brown 
hair  and  moustache.     Dark  blue  flannel  shirt  and  woolen 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  37 

pants  constituted  his  habiliments,  which  latter  garment 
early  in  the  day  proved  its  inferiority  by  sundry  tears 
which  gave  him  a  picturesque  appearance  highly  appre- 
ciated by  our  aitist. 

A  black  felt  hat  was  the  crowning  feature  of  his  attire, 
around  which  was  wound  "  casts  "  of  varied  colored  arti- 
ficial trout  flies.  He  was  the  most  venturesome  canoeman 
of  the  party,  ever  &st  to  try  the  dangers  of  the  many 
waterfalls  and  cataracts  on  our  route.  Morris  was  also 
the  hunter,  and  many  a  plumj)  duck  and  partridge  found 
its  way  to  om'  table  through  his  activity,  which  quality 
is  always  appreciated  by  the  camper-out. 

Our  personal  belongings  were  numerous,  consisting  of 
woolen  and  rubber  blankets,  mbber  wading  stockings, 
moccasin  shoes,  fly  rods,  guns,  landing  nets,  a  lantern, 
and  the  very  necessary  black-fly  ointment,  consisting  of 
oil  of  tar,  glycerine,  gum  camphor,  and  oil  of  pennyroyal. 
We  also  had  extra  changes  of  underclothing,  woolen 
stockings,  buckskin  suits,  and  an  assortment  of  tools, 
waxed  ends,  and  silk  thread  for  the  repairs  of  broken  fly 
rods  if  such  should  be  our  misfortune. 

The  number  of  weapons  composing  our  armory  was 
one  Sharps,  one  Ballard,  and  one  Spencer  magazine  rifle, 
one  38-calibre  revolver,  and  a  double  barrel  shot-gun 
which  also  contained  two  auxiliary  rifle  barrels.     Each 


38 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


man  also  carried  tlie  usual  long  slieatli  knife,  which  latter 
article  was  never  drawn  in  a  more  deadly  conflict  than 


T<  It  **i 


m^- 


WE   DREAM   OF   GAME. 


that  between  hard  tack  and  salt  pork ;  nevertheless  it 
was  often  a  trial  which  brought  into  play  the  most  heroic 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  39 

qualities  of  the  arm.  These  made  ns  at  once  feel  invin- 
cible against  the  attack  of  Avild  beasts,  while  at  the 
same  time  it  encouraged  such  hopes  of  success  in  the  cap- 
ture of  wild  animals  that  it  even  troubled  the  nightly 
rest  of  some  of  the  members  of  the  expedition.  Three 
birch-bark  canoes  and  one  portable  folding  canvas  canoe 
constituted  our  ships  of  burden,  which  exerted  great  influ- 
ence in  exploring  the  wilds,  and  added  to  the  enjoyment 
of  its  pleasures. 

How  much  poetiy  and  romance  the  words,  birch-bark 
canoe,  suggest  to  our  mind !  the  grand  old  forests  have 
more  tender  associations  when  one  is  paddled  through 
their  lights  and  shadows  in  a  birch  canoe ;  there  are 
thoughts  and  reveries  which  make  themselves  felt  as  one 
examines  their  construction — a  natural  fitness  of  things 
to  the  regions  in  which  they  are  used. 

The  delicate-colored  bark  stripped  from  a  prominent 
tree  is  cut  at  the  ends  and  gathered  up  into  unifonn  bow 
and  stern,  cut  and  then  brought  together  again  at  the 
sides  alternately  to  lift  the  lines  fore  and  aft ;  this  gives 
a  surface  to  meet  the  waves,  producing  that  buoyancy  so 
pleasing  to  the  craft.  Then  a  gunwale,  of  strips  of  wood, 
is  affixed,  sewed  with  spruce  roots  or  rattan,  and  the 
whole  lined  from  stem  to  stern  with  thin  strips  of  wood 
called  "  knees."     A  birch  canoe  will  weigh  from  eighty- 


40  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

five  to  one  hundred  and  fifteen  pounds  when  averaging 
eighteen  to  twenty  feet;  but  I  have  occasionally  seen 
those  that  weighed  three  times  that  amount,  and  had  a 
longitude  of  twenty-eight  to  thirty  feet. 

My  portable  canvas  canoe  made  for  this  special 
occasion  was  fifteen  feet  long  with  a  weight  of  only  forty- 
five  pounds,  when  the  fish-rod-like  stretcher  was  inserted. 
This  canoe  could  be  collapsed  at  a  moment's  notice,  placed 
in  a  bag  seventeen  by  thirty-eight  inches,  and  carried  on 
the  shoulders  with  ease  by  one  person,  while  it  would 
float  eight  hundred  and  fifty  pounds. 

Before  the  month's  journey  was  completed,  I  found  I 
could  leap  falls  and  rapids  more  safely  than  in  a  birch- 
bark  canoe,  and  although  I  often  paid  for  my  audacity 
by  cutting  its  surface,  it  was  easily  sewed,  waterproofed, 
and  I  continued  my  way.  On  account  of  its  convenient 
construction  and  weight  it  could  be  easily  transported 
through  the  woods  to  the  small  bodies  of  water  off  our 
main  course,  and  explorations  made  not  accessible  to  a 
birch  canoe. 

As  we  were  to  pass  through  a  country  uninhabited 
we  were  obliged  to  provide  ourselves  from  the  start  with 
food  sufiicient  for  the  entire  thirty  days'  sojourn,  and  it 
may  be  interesting  to  the  reader  to  know  the  quantity 
and  variety  of  the  supplies,  should  he  ever  undertake  a 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


41 


similar  enterprise.     We  did  not  rely  upon  the  game  or 
fish  of  the  country  we  were  canoeing ;  like  excursions  in 

the  past  had  taught  us  that  these 
'  o\(  \\W^    \v"^\^        articles  were  more  incidental  sur- 
\A\%\\\^pv),,J^^\  \^  prises,  than  an  excess  of  the  daily 
'         ^^^  1^5   menu.   Very  few  tourists  to  Maine 
I'Mk  select  this,  the  hardest  of  routes, 

and  we   found,  afterwards,  that 

we   were    the   first   'party    vjlio 

liad passed  doivn  the  East  Branch 

of  the  Pen- 

ohscot  river 

during    the 

year    1879. 

A  "camp  ap- 
petite "  is  something  entirely  differ- 
ent from  what  one  enjoys  at  home. 
One  would  turn  in  aversion  fi^om 
the  plainness  of  the  fare  were  it 
placed  on  the  table.  But  the  sur- 
roundings and  the  daily  vigorous 
exercise  seem  to  make  one  forget 
the  homely  dishes,  and  articles  re- 
fused at  our  own  boards  are  de- 
voured in  the  woods  with  a\ddity. 


\ 


\\ 


HOME    APPETITE. 


CAMP   APPETITE. 


Most  of   the  pro- 


42  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

visions  were  packed  into  wooden  pails  of  various  sizes, 
tlie  balance  in  canvas  bags,  and  were  assorted  as  fol- 
lows :  tliirty-f  our  pounds  of  liard  tack  or  bread,  seventy- 
three  pounds  of  flour,  one  bushel  of  potatoes,  twelve 
pounds  of  salt  pork,  four  pounds  of  beans,  two  packages 
of  baking  powders,  two  and  one  half  pounds  of  cheese, 
ten  pounds  of  ham,  three  pounds  of  candles,  one  bottle 
each  of  pickles  and  chow-chow,  three  cans  of  potted  ham, 
seven  and  three-fourths  pounds  of  onions,  twelve  pounds 
of  canned  corned  beef,  six  pounds  of  maple  sugar,  one 
dozen  cans  of  condensed  milk,  three  pounds  of  tea,  seven 
pounds  of  coffee,  and  thirteen  pounds  of  granulated  sugar, 
besides  a  quart  of  oil  for  our  lantern,  which  latter  article 
was  one  of  the  most  useful  of  the  lot.  Sugar,  either  ma- 
ple or  granulated,  always  disappears  in  the  woods  at  an 
early  date,  and  the  immense  quantities  of  luscious  blue- 
berries and  blackberries  to  be  had  at  any  time  along  our 
route  greatly  facilitated  its  departure. 

Our  canoes,  when  packed  with  all  the  above  articles, 
and  further  embellished  by  sundry  tea  and  coffee  pots, 
kettles,  frying-pans,  broilers,  bakers,  tin  plates  and  cups, 
reminded  one  of  the  early  days  of  our  forefathers  and 
their  pilgrimages  to  the  ''  far  west."  The  country  toward-s 
which  we  had  set  our  faces  was  entirely  new  to  tourists, 
and  but  one  of  our  guides  (Weller)  had  ever  explored 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  45 

its  hidden  depths,  and  even  his  memory  was  so  treacher- 
ous as  to  be  of  little  service  to  us.  Kecently  issued  maps 
were  faulty,  and  we  were  obliged  to  make  many  correc- 
tions on  them  and  manufacture  the  geography  as  we  sailed 
along.  On  reaching  the  head  of  Moosehead  Lake  our 
many  boxes  and  bags,  Just  enumerated,  were  transfeiTed 
to  the  sadly  dilapidated  wharf  at  the  Northeast  "carry," 
and  afterwards  removed  by  the  guides  to  a  heavy  lumber 
box  wagon  drawn  by  a  single  horse,  while  the  birch 
canoes,  supported  by  long  poles,  were  lashed  at  the  sides 
of  the  cart. 

Our  artist,  to  secure  his  photographic  materials  against 
harm,  rode  in  front  with  the  driver,  but  the  writer,  in 
company  with  the  quartermaster  and  the  guides,  trudged 
along  in  the  sand  at  the  rear. 

This  "  carry  "  or  path  is  about  two  miles  long,  rising 
gradually  towards  the  middle  from  each  end,  and  termi- 
nates on  the  north  at  the  West  branch  of  the  Penobscot 
river.  There  are  log  houses  where  one  can  obtain  dinner 
at  either  end  of  this  portage,  but  as  our  guide,  Morris, 
lived  at  the  further  point,  our  party  chose  to  lunch  at  his 
house,  and  our  recollections  of  his  mother's  preserved 
strawberries,  fresh  cream  and  bread  are  alive  to  this  hour. 
After  dinner  we  immediately  betook  ourselves  to  the 
river's  bank,  launched  the   birch  canoes,  stretched   the 


46 


GANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


canvas  canoe  into  shape,  and,  balancing  the  crafts  to  a 
nicety  with  our  baggage,  swung  off  down  the  stream  for 
a  month's  exploration  of  the  inmost  heart  of  Maine 


^.-v^-^T^-ffii 


IN    SYMPATHY   WITH   NATURE. 


One  well  knows  the  delights  attending  a  picnic  in  the 
woods  for  a  day — arising  at  early  morn  and  carefully 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  47 

stowing  away  in  baskets  siindiy  choice  and  toothsome 
articles,  and  filling  the  corners  of  the  basket  with  beau- 
tiful bright  flowers  fi'om  our  gardens,  we  resorted  to  the 
woods  and  dividing  into  groups  under  the  shady  trees  we 
spread  on  temporary  tables  the  savory  dishes,  and  strove 
to  the  best  of  oui'  ability  to  get  in  sympathy  with  nature.* 
But  think  of  a  month's  picnic  dcdly  filled  with  excitement 
and  pleasure,  from  running  rapids  and  falls  in  a  canoe  to 
enticing  the  wary  trout,  or  picking  strange  flowers  and 
berries  by  the  brookside,  and  at  night  resting  one's  tired 
but  invigorated  body  under  a  snow  white  tent ! 

The  west  branch  of  the  Penobscot  (or  Rocky)  river, 
after  leaving  the  terminus  of  the  Northeast  "  carry  "  at 
Morris's,  flows  steadily  to  the  southeast  with  hardly  a 
ripple  for  some  two  miles  until  it  reaches  the  mouth  of 
Lobster  stream;  then  a  stronger  cuiTent  is  perceptible 
with  "  rips,"  and  this  continues  for  two  and  a  hall  miles 
more,  when  after  passing  a  small  island  the  water  again 
becomes  "dead."  The  birch  barks,  paddled  by  guides 
Weller  and  Morris,  preceded  us  do^vn  the  river,  while 
the  quarteiTuaster  and  I  followed  in  the  canvas  canoe, 

*  If  I  ever  write  another  book  I  think  I  shall  eschew  sentiment.  I  thought 
at  the  time  that '-  sympathy  mth  nature  "  was  very  good,  but  I  find  that  it 
has  been  thrown  away  on  at  least  one — th?  artist.  T.  S.  S. 


48 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


the  foiirtli  canoe  witli  Guide  Bowley  and  the  artist  bring- 
ing up  the  rear. 

Could  there  have  been  a  looker-on  from  the  shore,  he 
would  possibly  have  thought  it  was  a  government  expe- 
dition in  search  of  the  "  northeast  passage ; "  but  although 
our  destination  was  about  as  little  frequented  it  was  not 
so  grave  an  affair. 

After  paddling  until  late  in  the  afternoon  through 
eight  or  ten  miles  of  still  water  we  made  our  first  camp 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  at  the  mouth  of  Moose- 
horn  stream;  and  transferring  our  "kit"  to  the  shore 
turned  over  our  canoes  in  the  sun  to  dry. 


DISCOURAGEMENTS. 


CHAPTER    III. 


"Within  the  sun-lit  forest, 

Our  roof  the  bright  blue  sky, 
Where  streamlets  flow,  and  wild  flowers  blow. 
We  lift  our  hearts  on  high." 


OUR  FIRST  CAMP  AT  MOUTH  OF  MOOSEHORN  STREAM.— AC- 
COMMODATING  ONE'S  SELF  TO  CIRCUMSTANCES.— THE 
"  REPS  "  OF  THE  WEST  BRANCH.— RUNNING  THE  RAPIDS.— 
PINE  STREAM  FALLS.— CHESUNCOOK  LAKE.— UMBAZOOKSUS 
RIVER.— A  "BEAR"  WELCOME.— MUD  POND  AND  "CARRY." 
—A  PICTURE  DIFFICULT  TO  PHOTOGRAPH.— THIRD  CAMP 
ON  CHAMBERLIN  LAKE. 


DESCRIPTION  of  our  first  camp  in  the  woods  will 
acquaint  tlie  reader  with  the  arrangement  of  the  many 
after,  and  make  him  familiar  with  the  j)icture  of  our  daily 
surroundings 

Our  wall  tent,  ten  by  twelve  feet,  was  soon  imfolded, 
and,  selecting  a  prominent  point  of  the  high  bank  which 


52  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

commanded  the  river,  we  immediately  set  about  cutting 
the  three  necessary  poles  on  which  to  erect  it.  We  trim- 
med all  projecting  twigs  from  the  ridge  and  front  upright 
poles,  but  left  them  on  the  rear  one  that  we  might  make 

it  useful — on  which  to  hang  cups, 
belts,  candlesticks,  and  lantern. 
Here  the  quartermaster's  whittling 
propensity  came  in  use,  and  another 
pole  was  notched  by  him  and  press- 
ed into  service  beside  the  last,  which 
served  as  a  rack  for  our  guns  and 
rods.     Great  care  was  taken  that 

PENKNIFE   SOUVENIRS. 

the  notches  which  held  the  ridge- 
pole were  not  too  long,  or  they  would  tear  the  tent,  and 
that  the  angle  of  the  roof  should  accommodate  any  pass- 
ing shower.  Then  we  cut  short  pins  from  the  white 
birches,  and  with  the  ropes  at  the  sides  soon  drew  the 
tent  into  position. 

While  Bowley,  our  cook,  was  making  bread  and  coffee, 
trying  salt  pork  and  trout  for  our  evening  repast,  the 
resounding  blows  of  Weller's  axe  could  be  heard  in  the 
forest,  gathering  logs  for  the  camp-fire,  and  Morris  was 
cutting  fir  boughs  for  the  historic  camp  bed.  It  is  won- 
derful how  comfortable  a  bed  this  makes,  while  its 
delightful  health-giving  odor  is  so  invigorating  to  the 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  53 

system.  Our  table  outside  the  tent  was  usually  made 
of  four  forked  sticks  on  wkicli  we  put  others  crosswise, 
and  on  these  we  laid  splits  of  wood,  and  for  seats  rolled 
into  position  a  convenient  log,  or  used  the  many  wooden 
pails  containing  oui*  provisions.  On  rainy  days  we  sat 
on  the  ground  in  the  tent,  and  used  these  pails  of  various 
sizes  and  heights  as  our  "extension  table,"  smiling  to 
think  how  easily  we  could  conform  to  any  condition  in 
the  woods.  At  the  head  of  the  tent  a  choice  position 
was  given  to  our  photographer's  camera  and  chemicals, 
together  with  our  traveling-bags,  rifles,  cartridge-boxes, 
and  books,  while  at  our  feet  were  distributed  the  pails  of 
provisions,  and  heavier  part  of  our  "kit."  About  one 
and  a  half  feet  was  allowed  to  each  man  for  sleeping 
accommodations,  an  imaginary  line  only  dividing  off  the 
guides,  we  being  arranged  somewhat  similar  to  sardines 
in  a  box,  only  our  heads  were  all  in  one  direction. 

Immediately  after  leaving  camp  the  next  morning  we 
entered  the  "rips"  or  rough  water  of  the  river.  For 
about  ten  miles  there  was  little  necessity  of  paddling,  the 
velocity  of  the  stream  sweeping  us  along  Avithout  extra 
eifoi-t.  These  last  few  miles  were  very  exciting,  as,  fol- 
lowing in  the  wake  of  the  bii^ch  canoes,  we  guided  our 
canvas  craft  past  boulders  and  sunken  rocks,  while  the 
guides,  constantly  on  the  alert  for  our  welfare,  shouted 


54 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


or  waved  their  hands  to  warn  us  of  dangerous  places. 
Passing  close  to  the  bank  on  the  left  of  the  boisterous 
water,  we  shot  the  Pine  Stream  Falls  and  soon  rested  in 


the  foamy  waters  below,  where  our  artist  at  once  immor- 
talized the  party. 

The  amount  of  strength  and  activity  displayed  by  the 
guides  in  handling  their  canoes  past  falls  and  rapids  is 
astonishing.     With  their  slender  "setting  poles,"  eleven 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  65 

feet  in  length,  armed  at  one  end  with  a  sharp  iron  spike 
of  six  inches,  they  will  steer  the  canoe  with  unerring 
certainty,  or  hold  it  quivering  in  waters  that  would  seem 
to  engulf  it. 

A  hasty  lunch,  and  we  soon  reached  the  mouth  of 
the  West  Branch  (eighteen  miles  from  the  North  East 
carry),  where  a  scene  of  special  beauty  biu'st  upon  us  in 
the  white  capped  waves  of  Chesuncook  Lake  and  distant 
\dew  of  Mt.  Katahdin  and  the  Sourdnahunk  range.  Pad- 
dling across  the  head  of  Chesuncook  Lake,  which  is  sev- 
enteen miles  in  length  and  three  miles  in  width,  we  passed 
the  mouth  of  the  Caucomgomoc  stream  and  entered  the 
Umbazooksus  River.  We  had  hardly  recovered  from  the 
exertion  in  crossing  the  lake,  when  we  espied  in  the  tall 
meadow  grass  on  the  bank  of  the  stream  a  large  black 
bear,  who,  standing  on  his  hind  legs,  nodded  an  approv- 
ing welcome.  The  quickness  vnth.  which  he  dropped  on 
his  foui'  feet  and  plunged  into  the  thicket  gave  us  little 
opportunity  to   return  the   compliment  with  our   rifles. 

Another  camp,  and  the  next  day  we  passed  in  safety 
the  Umbazooksus  stream  and  lake,  and  at  8  a.  m.  arrived  at 
the  long  dreaded  Mud  Pond  ''  carry."  This  path  through 
the  woods  to  Mud  Pond  is  a  little  over  two  miles  long, 
and  is  detested  by  tourists  and  execrated  by  the  guides. 
Many  weeks  before  my  departure  for  Maine,  I  had  been 


56 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


accosted  by  a  friend  (Avho  had  made  tlie  St.  Johns  trip), 
and  asked  to  give  him  on  my  return  the  full  particulars 
of  my  experience  on  this  "  carry."     I  was  not,  therefore, 


MUD  POND  CARRY. 


taken  by  surj)rise,  but  was  prepared  to  meet  it  manfully 
on  its  own  ground,  and  fight  the  battle  to  the  best  of  my 
ability.     I  had  provided  myself  for  this  special  undertak- 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  57 

ing  with  long  rubber  wading  pants  or  stockings,  reaching 
to  my  hips,  and  further  incased  my  feet  in  a  heavy  pair 
of  canvas  hob-nailed  shoes,  the  latter  I  also  found  useful 
in  wading  streams.  Even  while  selecting  our  provisions 
at  the  Kineo  House,  this  and  that  luxury  had  been  debated 
upon^  or  withdrawn  as  an  article  too  hea^^  for  transpor- 
tation on  Mud  Pond  "  carry."  Its  obstacles  to  our  senses 
had  also  been  made  prominent  by  the  daily  conversation 
of  the  guides,  and  our  imagination  of  that  "  gulf  "  greatly 
awakened.  On  reaching  the  portage,  the  canoes  were 
drawn  ashore,  turned  over  to  dry,  goods  removed,  and, 
•each  one  selecting  what  he  could  support,  we  started  off 
"  Indian  file  "  to  make  the  best  of  the  difficulties.  On  the 
right  hand  side  of  the  path,  within  a  few  rods  of  the 
Umbazooksus  Lake,  \^all  be  found  a  cool  and  refreshing 
spring  of  water,  at  which  we  quenched  our  thirst.  At  first 
the  path  was  dry,  and  only  occasional  pools  of  water, 
easily  turned,  interrupted  our  advance ;  but  soon  the 
pools  grew  thicker  and  thicker,  lengthening  to  greater 
extent  than  before,  and,  with  our  loads  on  our  backs,  we 
plunged  forward,  sinking  time  and  time  again  to  our 
knees  in  the  soft  muddy  water.  It  makes  a  vast  deal  of 
difference,  the  nature  and  position  of  the  load  on  one's 
back,  and  whether  it  is  steady  in  its  place,  or  has  a  shift- 


58  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

ing  propensity.  I  liave  known  a  pair  of  oars  dodging 
about  on  one's  shoulders  to  be  heavier  and  more  inconve- 
nient than  five  times  that  burden  in  guns  and  ammunition. 
I  had  selected  as  the  task  for  my  left  shoulder  my  shot 
gun,  and  attaching  to  it  a  broiler,  coifee-pot,  gridiron,  and 
other  impedimenta  of  camp  and  cooking  utensils,  detailed 
to  the  right  a  bag  of  two  hundred  shot  and  rifle  cart- 
ridges. Picture  not  only  one  but  six  men  so  loaded, 
forcing  their  way  through  the  muddy  path,  slipping  and 
floundering,  first  on  one  side  and  then  on  the  other,  under 
the  conglomerated  load  of  "  camp  kit."  An  opening  in 
the  dark  hot  woods  half  way  across,  and  our  burdens  are 
lowered  to  the  ground,  to  return  to  the  lake  for  another 
cargo.  A  lunch,  and  on  we  go  another  mile,  where  the 
branches  lock  closer  and  closer  about  us,  making  our  load 
seem  double  its  weight,  until  with  joy  we  discover  from 
a  slight  elevation  at  the  end  of  the  "  cany  "  the  tranquil 
surface  of  Mud  Pond.  A  portion  of  this  course  is  evi- 
dently at  some  seasons  of  the  year  the  bed  of  a  brook, 
and  the  writer  found  in  a  small  isolated  pool  of  water 
only  a  foot  square,  a  lively  trout,  four  inches  in  length. 

Our  guides  told  how,  during  some  months  of  the  year, 
they  had  dragged  their  boats  two-thirds  of  the  way  across, 
remarking  that  the  only  "diy"  part  this  year,  was  the 


MUD  POND— LOOKING  EAST  FROM  END  OF  CARRY, 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  61 

temperate  loay  in  wTiicli  tliey  loere  treated!^  The  canoes  on 
the  o-uides'  shoulders  were  the  last  loads  to  cross,  and,  as 
it  was  now  6  p.  ^r.,  one  can  make  some  estimate  of  the 
work  done,  seeing  we  had  only  accomplished  txoo  miles 
that  day. 

Launchinof  our  canoes  on  Mud  Pond,  some  two  miles 
in  ^vidth,  of  uninteresting  scenery,  we  bent  our  remaining 
energies  to  the  reciprocating  paddle,  and  were  soon  on 
the  other  side,  and  canoeing  the  sluggish  waters  of  Mud 
Pond  stream.     Its  mouth  was  clogged  by  great  weather- 

*  The  use  of  ardent  spirits  in  the  woods  ought  never  to  be  allowed  by 
either  sportsmen  or  guides.  There  is  enough  stimulant  and  health  in  the  pure 
air,  the  piney  woods,  and  clear  cold  water  of  the  streams,  to  satisfy  any  one, 
while  the  indulgence  often  places  the  sportsman's  life  in  jeopardy.  The  awk- 
ward turn  of  the  paddle  in  swift  water,  or  the  careless  handling  of  a  gun  by 
your  partially  intoxicated  guide,  may  at  any  moment  bring  disaster  to  your 
canoe  or  death  to  yourself,  while  the  selection  of  a  guide  should  alicays  be  a 
matter  of  the  greatest  importance,  as  he  has  the  faculty  of  making  your  camp- 
life  happy  or  miserable.  A  friend  of  the  author  started  to  camp  in  the  Ad- 
irondacks  sometime  since,  but  discovering  in  his  guide's  "kit"  a  bottle  of 
liquor,  and,  being  unable  to  obtain  the  refusal  of  its  use,  took  the  fellow  a 
three  days'  tramp  back  to  the  settlement,  and  hired  another  guide,  rather 
than  take  his  chances  with  the  first  one.  Scientific  analysis  has  long  since 
exploded  the  health  giving  properties  of  ardent  spirits,  and  in  Arctic  explora- 
tions the  line  has  been  drawn  between  the  vitality  of  men  who  drank  water 
or  coffee.  As  regards  using  stimulants  in  the  woods,  I  say  in  the  language 
of  Mark  Tw&va—'' don't  /  don't  !!  DON'T  !!!  " 


62  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

beaten  logs,  wliich  necessitated  tlie  laborious  use  of  our 


axes   before   forcing   a   passage   into   Cliamberlin  Lake. 
The  sun  was  hardly  half  an  hour  above  the  horizon,  as  we 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  63 

crossed  this  beautiful  lake  two  and  a  half  miles  to  the 
opposite  shore,  and  camped  on  its  white  pebbly  beach  at 
the  foot  of  a  farm.  This  was  the  only  one  of  three  habi- 
tations which  we  saw  on  our  trip,  and  the  delight  which 
we  experienced  was  as  great  as  the  recovery  of  a  lost 
trail  in  the  woods  by  the  tourist  mentioned  in  the  follow- 
ing incident.  A  brother  angler,  while  treading  a  lone- 
some path  in  this  very  neighborhood,  found  one  day  a  piece 
of  birch  bark  nailed  to  a  tree  on  which  was  inscribed 
these  familiar  lines — 


"  This  is  the  way  I  long  have  sought 
And  mourned  because  I  found  it  not." 


KEFLECTIONS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


"  Oq  the  fair  face  of  Nature  let  us  muse, 
And  dream  by  lapsing  streams  and  drooping  wood ; 
Tread  the  dark  forests  whose  primeval  ranks 
Since  the  Creation  dawn  have  cast  their  shade." 

CHAMBERLIN  FARM  AND  LAKE.— A  NOVEL  FLY-TRAP.— A  LESSON 
IN  NATURAL  HISTORY.— TELOSMIS  LAKE.— THE  "CUT."— A 
THREE  DAYS'  RAIN  STORM.— WEBSTER  LAKE  AND  DAM.— AN 
APPARITION.— THE  WEIRD  STILLNESS  OF  THE  PRIMEVAL 
FORESTS.— AN  ACCOMMODATING  FLY-CATCHER. 


c 


H AMBERLIN  FAEM  consists  of  one  log  house,  eight 
or  ten  barns,  and  about  three  hundred  acres  of  cleared 
land,  if  where  in  some  portions  you  can  jump  from  stump 
to  stump  can  be  called  "  cleared  land." 

The  buildings  are  situated  on  a  hill  fronting  the  lake, 
and  command  a  view  of  the  greater  part  of  the  water. 
Mr.  Nutting  (who  with  his  three  sons  has  charge  of  the 
farm)  is  six  feet  high,  straight  as  an  Indian,  with  heavy 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


65 


laigh  cheek  bones,  black  moustaclie,  and  whose  face  is 
thoroughly  tanned  by  exposui'e  to  the  sun.  The  farm, 
with  others  in  this  vicinity,  is  owned  by 
Messrs.  Coe  &,  Pingree  of  Bangor,  Maine, 
who  possess  vast  tracts  of  this  wilderness, 
which  they  lumber  and  pass  the 
^  ^  result  of  their  efforts  to  the  mar- 
kets along  the  coast  of  the  State. 


V 


'^^ 


CHAMBERLIN  FARM   AND   LAKE- 
LOOKING   WEST. 


During  the  summer  months 
the  products  of  the  farm 
are  gathered  into  the  bams,  and  are 
used  to  feed  the  hundreds  of  "log 
drivers  "  who  in  the  winter  and  spring 
are  annually  sent  to  this  region.  These 
"loggers  "  are  a  hardy  set  of  men,  receiving  a  dollar  and  a 
half  a  day  when  "  on  the  drive,"  and  work  from  2  a.  m. 


m 


66 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


to  10  P.  M.,  often  exposed  to  great  perils  and  tlie  inclem- 
ency of  tlie  weather.  Large  herds  of  cattle  and  sheep 
are  pastured  here,  and  on  the  hill  at  the  rear  of  the 
house  I  noticed  a  number  of  mules. 


■  i  \  yS^n'j^ajdvs^ 


THE   KOOM   INTO   WHICH   WE   WEBE   USHERED. 


The  two-story  log  house  in  which  resides  Mr.  Nut- 
ting is  painted  an  Indian  red,  and  has  the  only  embel- 
lishment of  any  of  the  buildings.  The  interior  is  white- 
washed, and  has  three  rooms  on  a  floor.  The  room  into 
which  our  party  was  ushered  had  low  ceilings  of  heavy 
logs,  blackened  by  age  and  smoke  from  the  big  square  iron 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  69 

stove  wMcli  held  imdisputable  possession  of  the  center 
of  the  apartment.  In  one  corner  was  a  great  box  con- 
taining wood,  which  also  served  as  a  bed  when  other  ac- 
commodations were  not  available.  From  the  ceiling, 
hardly  seven  feet  high,  was  arranged  the  clothes  line,  on 
which  hung  a  portion  of  the  week's  washing,  while  the 
floor  was  made  of  logs  with  enough  openings  between 
them  to  admit  plenty  of  fresh  air.  Artistic  taste  had 
not  been  wanting  in  the  decoration  of  the  log  walls,  and 
engravings  cut  from  illustrated  papers  were  tacked  there- 
on, while  in  a  prominent  position  was  hung  the  portrait 
of  a  late  unsuccessful  candidate  to  presidential  honors. 
Rough  shelves  nailed  to  the  sides  of  the  walls  between 
two  windows  supported  a  roll  of  old  papers,  a  Webster's 
dictionary,  National  fifth  reader,  Greenleaf's  arithmetic,  a 
Bible,  and  Testament,  while  at  their  side  hung  a  mirror, 
and  the  family  hair-brush  and  comb.  But  the  most  novel 
article  in  the  room  was  a  fly-trap,  which,  although  it  dis- 
played the  inventive  genius  of  the  locality,  can  hardly 
have  its  model  on  the  many  shelves  of  the  Patent  ofiice. 
This  fly-trap  hung  from  the  ceiling  near  the  stove,  and 
was  manufactured  from  two  shingles  fastened  together 
at  the  butts  like  an  inverted  V.  On  the  inside  was 
spread  molasses,  and  as  fast  as  the  insects  became  inter- 


70 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


ested  in  its  sweets,  it  was  the  duty  of  the  passer-by  to 

slap  the  boards  together 


^. 


^^■^, 


and  destroy  their  contents. 
In  addition  to  superin- 
tending this  farm  and 
stock,  it  is  the  duty  of  Mr. 
Nutting  to  provide  for  the 
various  logging  cani23s  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  to 
watch  for  the  first  indica- 
tion of  fii^es,  whose  de- 
structive power  in  the 
pine  forests  he  fully  re- 
alizes. 

Chaniberlin  Lake,  on 
which  we  had  pitched  our 
tent,  is  fifteen  miles  long  and  three  miles  wide.  It  has  an 
area  of  twenty  square  miles,  is  1,134  feet  above  tide  water, 
contains  a  number  of  islands,  and  took  its  name  from  an 
unfortunate  man  lost  some  years  since  on  its  shores.  Years 
ago  a  large  dam  was  built  at  its  northern  outlet  into  Eagle 
Lake,  and  the  ^vater  driven  back  south,  through  an  arti- 
ficial cut  between  Telos  and  Webster  Lakes,  thus  enable - 
ing  the  lumbennan  to  "  drive  "  his  logs  to  a  home  market 
through  the  East  Branch  of  the  Penobscot  river,  instead  of 


KOT  FOUND  AT  THE  PATENT  OFFICE. 


OANOE  AND  CAMERA.  71 

by  the  St.  Jolins  route  to  the  foreign  one  of  New  Bruns- 


A   STUDY   IN  NATURAL   HISTORY, 


wick     It  costs  fifty  dollars  a  ton  to.  transport  supplies  to 
this  farm,  and  flour  is  nineteen  dollars  a  ban-el. 


72  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

After  our  labors  on  Mud  Pond  "  carry,"  we  rested  here 
three  days,  taking  photographs  of  the  scenery,  and  mak- 
ing excursions  to  the  dams  between  Chamberlin  and  Eagle 
Lakes,  where  we  found  plenty  of  exercise  for  our  trout 
rods.  We  also  "sacked"  our  canvas  canoe  across  the 
hills  on  the  east  to  Indian  Pond  in  search  of  wild 
ducks  and  trout,  but  were  only  rewarded  by  a  study  in 
natural  history  which  seldom  happens  to  the  forest  lover. 
Our  discovery  was  a  family  of  loons,  or  the  great  North- 
ern Diver,  a  bird  the  size  of  a  goose,  and  the  finest  on  in- 
land northern  waters.  It  could  be  honestly  said,  "  they 
lived  in  flats,"  as  their  rough  nest,  composed  of  sticks  and 
moss  a  foot  in  height  and  two  feet  in  width,  rested  on  a 
flat  sandy  knoll  which  stretched  out  into  the  water. 
Against  the  unmistakable  dislike  of  the  parent  birds,  I 
paddled  to  the  front  door  of  their  house,  and,  gazing  in, 
discovered  a  recently  hatched  bird  and  one  egg. 

The  egg  was  dark  brown,  spotted  with  black,  eight 
and  seven-eighth  inches  at  the  longest,  and  seven  and  one- 
quarter  at  the  shortest  circumference.  The  young  bird 
had  every  appearance  of  a  goslin,  with  down  of  a  gi-ayish 
black,  and  did  not  seem  in  the  least  annoyed  as  I  stroked 
its  glossy  coat.  Withdrawing  my  canoe,  and  creeping 
quietly  back  into  the  thicket,  I  eujoyed  the  lesson  in  frog 


vANOE  AND  CAMERA.  '  75 

catching,  taiight  the  young  one  by  the  old  birds,  and  I  left 
them  undisturbed  in  their  happiness. 

It  was  with  great  reluctance  that  w^e  broke  camp 
early  on  the  morning  of  August  12th,  rolled  our  tent, 
and,  arranging  our  kit  in  the  canoe,  paddled  out  into 
Chamberlin  Lake  and  bade  farewell  to  the  scenes  around 
which  clustered  so  many  pleasant  memories. 

The  fresh  milk,  butter,  and  eggs  of  the  farm  were  a 
happy  relief  to  our  regular  fare  of  salt  pork  and  hard  tack, 
while  the  fresh  straw,  which  Mr.  Nutting  so  kindly  offered 
us  from  his  barns,  for  the  floor  of  oiu'  tent,  added  greatly 
to  our  comfort. 

But  we  had  not  started  with  the  idea  that  in  this  wih 
derness  we  were  to  enjoy  all  the  dainties  of  life,  for  in 
order  to  explore  its  depths  we  must  give  up  luxuries 
and  comforts  which  at  home  seem  indispensable. 
■  How  often  in  my  earlier  years,  while  pursuing  the 
study  of  geography  at  school,  did  my  pencil  in  draw- 
ing maps  wander  over  this  endless  tract  of  territory  to 
the  north  and  east  of  Moosehead  Lake,  striving  to  pic- 
ture to  my  imagination  its  elements. 

This  gi'eat  lake  near  the  center  of  the  State,  togethei' 
with  few  of  the  largest  rivers  whose  source  then  seemed 
a  doubt,  were  about  all  that  relieved  the  picture,  and  I  was 


76  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

daily  discovering  new  beauties  of  scenery  little  known  to 
the  outside  world. 

"  A  land  of  streams  !     Some,  like  a  downward  smoke, 
Slow-dropping  veils  of  thinnest  lawn,  did  go ; 

And  some  through  wavering  lights  and  shadows  broke, 
Rolling  a  slumbrous  sheet  of  foam  below." 

Through  the  long  stretches  of  deep  water  of  Cham- 
berlin  Lake  we  paddled,  kee23ing  time  with  our  oars, 
while  on  our  right  arose  the  peaks  of  the  lovely  Sourdna- 
hunk  Mountains,  each  individualized  by  the  bright  rays 
of  the  morning  sun. 

Entering  Telosmis  Lake,  which  is  about  a  mile  m  ex- 
tent, we  sailed  swiftly  through  its  quiet  waters  and  passed 
into  Telos  Lake,  where,  at  the  mouth  of  a  brook  on  the 
right  hand,  we  were  successful  in  landing  a  fine  lot  of 
trout  which  averaged  over  a  pound  each. 

Telos  Lake  is  four  miles  long  and  about  half  a  mile 
wide,  and  is  nine  hundred  and  fourteen  feet  above  tide 
water,  its  northern  shore  rocky  and  abrupt,  in  comparison 
vdth  the  sandy  and  uninteresting  nature  of  its  south 
coast.  The  mouth  of  the  canal  or  "  cut "  at  its  foot  is 
clogged  with  immense  quantities  of  flood-wood,  old  logs, 
and  stumps,  bleached  to  whiteness  by  the  action  of  the 
weather,  which  give  it  a  weird  and  ghostly  appearance 
against  the  background  of   verdure.      This  "cut"  was 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


77 


THE  "WET  AND  DRY  PROCESS 


"  OF  PHOTOGR.'^Hy  AS  ILLUSTRATED  BY  CAMP  LIFE. 


78  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

dug  by  lumbermen  some  forty  years  ago,  to  pass  tlieir 
logs  into  tlie  East  Branch  of  the  Penobscot,  but  below 
the  old  dam,  quarter  of  a  mile  distant,  one  would  never 
suspect  by  its  natural  and  picturesque  shore  it  was  the 
work  of  men's  hands,  the  force  of  water  having  relieved 
its  sharp  outlines. 

While  our  artist  was  preparing  his  camera  for  a  pho- 
tograph of  the  "cut "and  lake,  our  guides  "sacked" 
their  burdens  and  canoes  across  the  clievaux-de-frise  of 
old  stumps  into  the  "cut,"  and  we  pitched  our  fourth 
camp  on  the  high  bank  to  the  right  of  the  old  Telos 
dam. 

Although  we  had  been  out  fourteen  days,  we  had  so 
far  been  very  fortunate  regarding  the  weather,  but  we 
here  experienced  the  first  rain-storm  of  the  trip — a  genu- 
ine northeaster  of  three  days'  duration.  We  had  hardly 
raised  our  tent  and  got  our  "  kit "  under  cover  before  the 
watery  contents  of  the  heavens  began  to  descend,  and 
we  took  extra  precautions  to  make  ourselves  comfortable 
and  endure  the  trial  in  the  most  cheerful  spirit  possible. 
But  I  will  not  detain  the  reader  with  every  item  of  the 
three  days'  imprisonment.  Encased  in  our  waterproofs, 
we  resorted  to  the  dam,  caught  trout,  or  wandered  beside 
the  waters  of  Telos  stream  for  ducks  and  partridges,  giv- 
ing little  heed  to  the  elements. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  81 

It  is  amazing  liow  little  one  makes  of  discomforts  in 
tlie  woods,  provided  he  sympathizes  with  his  suiTound- 
ings.  But  to  a  nature  having  neither  poetiy  nor  romance, 
to  whom  a  fall  is  only  a  suggestion  of  water  power,  and 
a  tree  so  many  feet  of  lumber,  the  situation  is  unendur- 
able. 

Here  our  canvas  boat  was  overhauled,  cuts  sewed  and 
waterproofed,  birch  canoes  pitched,  buttons  adjusted  to 
our  clothing,  socks  darned,  guns  and  rifles  cleaned,  while 
the  "  Quartermaster  "  busied  himself  ingeniously  carving 
pliers,  scissors,  and  vises  from  wood,  cutting  the  joints  of 
the  same  piece  as  souvenirs  of  the  locality. 

But  the  storm  had  one  good  effect;  it  nearly  ex- 
hausted the  moose  and  bear  stories  of  the  guides,  and 
left  them,  in  the  future,  only  the  current  topics  of  the 
day  to  discuss. 

So  far  the  days  had  been  exceedingly  warm, — ther- 
mometer sixty  to  seventy  in  the  shade, — but  what  was 
our  surprise  on  arising  early  on  the  clear  bright  day  of 
August  16th  to  discover  a  heavy  frost,  and  the  ice  in  our 
camp  pails  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness.  We  were 
first  aware  of  the  event  by  the  exclamations  of  our  cook, 
Bowley,  who  was  slipping  about  on  the  frozen  ground 
outside,  and  to  our  incredulous  replies,  lifted  into  the 
door  of  the  tent  one  of  the  frozen  pails  by  the  tin  dipper 


82  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

whicli  adiiered  to  its  surface.  Tlie  tent  was  quickly 
"  struck  "  and  dried,  and,  rolling  into  our  rubber  blankets 
and  bags  our  effects,  we  were  cutting  the  waters  of  Telos 
stream,  and  soon  emerged  into  tranquil  Webster  lake  at 
its  foot.  The  brook  is  about  a  mile  long,  and  very  shal- 
low, and  but  for  the  late  rain  would  hardly  have  been 
navigable.  An  easy  "  carry "  of  a  mile  can  be  found 
through  the  tall  grass  and  woods  on  the  right-hand  side, 
which  also  terminates  at  the  head  of  the  lake. 

It  is  very  essential  to  one's  happiness,  in  making  this 
tour,  to  know  on  which  side  of  the  stream  is  the  best 
portage  around  a  fall  or  rapids,  for  the  knowledge  saves 
many  a  laborious  walk  when  one's  shoulders  are  loaded. 

Webster  lake  is  a  charming  little  sheet  of  water  about 
three  miles  long,  and  perhaps  haK  as  wide,  which  is 
wooded  down  to  its  very  edge.  At  its  foot  is  another  of 
those  series  of  loggers'  dams,  about  twelve  feet  high,  and 
on  the  extreme  high  bank  to  the  right  we  again  pitched 
our  tent. 

Great  care  had  to  be  taken  with  our  fires  along  the 
road,  that  not  a  remnant  of  them  be  allowed  to  remain, 
and  the  indications  are  often  veiy  delusive.  Many  years 
ago  a  fire  started  in  the  woods  on  Eagle  lake,  and  the  de- 
vouring flames,  sweeping  southward  over  fifty  miles  to  this 
section,  destroyed  this  dam  which  has  since  been  rebuilt. 


AN  APPARITION. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  86 

There  are  many  decayed  and  deceptive  logs  about 
these  old  dams,  some  even  a  foot  in  diameter,  which  at  a 
slight  pressure  will  crumble  and  plunge  one  into  the  deep 
water  below — I  speak  from  experience. 

A  bear  storj^  is  always  welcomed  in  camp,  not  only 
on  account  of  the  truthfulness  attending  the  first  one, 
but  the  doubts  which  hover  around  the  succeeding  tales, 
add  to  their  interest. 

We  stretched  the  canvas  of  our  tent  at  this  place, 
and  while  each  one  was  engaged  in  his  various  duties, 
Weller,  the  guide,  pail  in  hand,  sallied  out  for  fresh 
spring  water.  He  had  hardly  disappeared  fi'om  our 
sight,  when  with  immense  Jumps  he  came  tearing  back 
through  the  bushes  shouting,  a  bear !  a  bear !  A  rush 
for  our  rifles,  and  a  forward  movement  into  the  woods. 
But  after  an  unsuccessful  tramp,  the  she  bear  and  two 
cubs  seen  by  our  friend  could  not  be  found. 

Before  we  left  the  wilderness,  we  had  the  unspeakable 
pleasure  of  making  the  acquaintance  of  some  six  bears ; 
but  on  every  occasion  we  were  mthout  our  rifles,  and 
when  we  made  an  effort  to  hunt  them,  they  were  not  to 
be  found.  We  were  either  shooting  a  quick  flo^ving 
stream,  and  with  difficulty  keeping  our  canoes  from  the 
rocks,  or  surprised  by  meeting  them  (as  in  the  above 

6 


86. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


case)  nearer  to  camp  than  one  could  expect,  when  they 
suddenly  appeared. 


A  few  years  since,  Maine 
offered  a  bounty  of  ten  dol- 
lars a  head  on  bears,  and  the  hunting  or  trapping  of  them 
was  a  lucrative  pastime,  but  since  the  withdrawal  of  the 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  87 

premium,  hunters  have  decreased  in  the  same  proportion 
that  bears  have  increased. 

As  might  be  expected,  around  the  camp  fire  that 
night,  the  recent  experience  suggested  hunter^s  tales,  each 
having  its  special  locality  and  party  designated,  who  wit- 
nessed the  exploits,  while  the  habits,  courage,  and  pecu- 
liarities of  bruin  and  other  animals  were  discussed  to  an 
unlimited  extent. 

One  of  the  stories  told  by  Guide  Morris  related  to  a 
tame  beaver  which  had  grown  to  be  a  great  household 
pet  of  a  farmer  living  in  the  vicinity  of  Moosehead  lake. 
One  night  a  defective  faucet  filled  the  farmer's  sink  and 
ovei'flowed  to  the  floor  of  the  kitchen,  whereupon  the 
beaver,  following  his  natural  instincts,  cut  up  the  chairs 
md  tables  of  the  room,  and  building  a  dam  about  the 
fugitive  stream  saved  the  habitation  from  further  injuiy  ! 

We  tarried  three  days  at  Webster  dam,  where  we 
captured  the  largest  trout  of  the  excursion,  and  feasted 
on  many  a  fine  duck  and  partridge. 

To  impress  the  reader  with  the  idea  that  our  table 
fare  was  not  so  hard  as  might  have  been  expected,  I 
would  state  that  the  items  of  the  daily  menu  consisted 
of  fried  brook  trout,  boiled  potatoes,  stewed  duck 
or  partridge,  hard-tack,  "flip-jacks,"  with  maple  sugar, 
coffee,  and  tea.     Fish  chowders  and  game  stews  were  our 


88 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


favorite  dishes,  all  eaten  with  the  seasoning  of  a  hearty 
appetite. 


FLY   CATCHEKS   VEKSUS   FLY   FISHING. 


At  this  point  we  were  probably  as  deep  in  this  wil- 
derness as  it  was  possible  to  get  in  the  trip. 

The  most  striking  feature  of  the  forests  is  the  absence 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  89 

of  animal  life,  and  more  noticeable  in  our  northern  than 
southern  wilds.  The  stately  pines  of  the  South  stand 
from  eight  to  twelve  feet  apart,  and  with  a  span  of  horses 
one  can  almost  drive  from  one  end  of  Florida  to  the  other. 
In  fact,  the  writer,  in  the  winter  of  1875,  met  a  party  so 
equipped,  traveling  in  an  open  wagon  from  New  Smyrna 
to  Fort  Capron,  choosing  their  way  by  the  compass'  aid. 
This  open  condition  of  things  permits  the  rank  growth 
of  vegetation  and  animal  life,  which  the  close-locked 
branches  of  our  northern  forests  prevent.  In  the  latter 
case,  also,  the  continual  sifting  of  the  pine  leaves  on  the 
ground,  and  the  gloom  of  the  overhanging  boughs  choke 
what  few  shrubs  might  have  an  existence. 

Only  along  the  rivers,  or  where  the  woodsman  has 
failed  to  spare  some  tree,  dare  anything  but  a  courageous 
blackberry  or  shrub-maple  show  itself.  You  may  wan- 
der for  hours  in  this  stillness  without  seeing  a  living 
creature,  unless  you  look  sharply  enough  to  mark  the 
insects  which  toil  in  the  mosses  underfoot,  inhabit  the 
bark  and  decayed  wood,  or  wait  for  you  to  rest  before 
settling  on  you. 

But  we  occasionally  entertained  strangers  of  animal 
life,  and  in  one  instance,  that  of  an  "  angelic  "  order — at 
least  it  had  wings,  and  its  mission  was  helpful.  Our 
artist,  while  casting  his  line  from  the  apron  of  the  dam, 


90 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


caught  it  on  a  projecting  beam,  and  after  vain  attempts 
to  withdraw  it,  was  successfully  assisted  by  a  little  brown 
fly-catcher,  who,  swooping  down,  attempted  to  carry  to 
its  nest  the  bright-colored  artificial  trout  flies. 


ALLUREMENTS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

"What  time  the  golden  sunset  fell, 

On  wood  and  stream, 
While  we,  the  loss  or  gain 

Recount,  and  deem 
The  day  all  glorious  with  its  rents  and  stains." 

THE  PASSAGE  OF  WEBSTER  STREAM.— AN  EXCITING  DAY'S 
SPORT.— THE  DAMAGED  CANOES.— THE  CANVAS  BOAT  TRI- 
UMPHANT.—GRAND  FALLS.— PHOTOGRAPHING  ALONG  THE 
ROUTE.— INDIAN  CARRY.— EAST  BRANCH  OF  THE  PENOB- 
SCOT.—MATAGAMONSIS  LAKE.— THE  DISCOVERY  OF  A  NEW 
LAKE.— TROUT  BROOK  FARM.— GRAND  OR  MATAGAMON 
LAKE.— A  CAPTURED  SALMON. 

solT  5.30  A.  M.,  August  20th,  our  camp  was  alive  with 
preparations  for  the  long  anticipated  run  down  Webster 
River,  ten  miles,  to  the  East  Branch  of  the  Penobscot 
and,  as  it  afterwards  proved,  was  the  most  exciting  day's 
experience  of  the  two  hundred  mile  tour. 

Blankets,  overcoats,  and  tent  were  rolled  closer  than 


94  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

usual,  and  leatter  thongs  five  feet  in  length,  (some  three 
dozen  of  which  I  had  brought  with  me,)  were  tied  about 
•them,  and  safely  crowded  into  the  bottom  of  the  long 
rubber  bags.  Covers  to  the  various  provision  boxes  and 
pails  were  secured  with  straps  and  ropes,  and  every  part 
of  the  camp  kit  made  to  occupy  as  little  room  as  possible 
in  the  four  canoes.  Rubber  leggings  and  wading  shoes 
were  put  on,  and  all  unnecessary  wearing  apparel  wrapped 
in  rubber  blankets  and  tied  to  the  boats,  that  nothing 
might  incommode  the  free  use  of  our  arms  in  the  passage 
of  the  falls  and  cascades  of  the  stream.  The  stretcher  of 
our  canvas  boat  was  fastened  to  the  wooden  knees  more 
tightly  with  thongs,  that  no  possible  chance  of  accident 
might  occur,  while  the  pieces  of  extra  canvas  for  patch- 
ing the  canoe,  with  their  accompanying  needles,  wax,  and 
waterproofing,  were  tied  at  a  convenient  place  in  the  bow, 
and  before  we  had  completed  the  day's  adventures  we 
found  them  of  great  service. 

Webster  stream  is  about  sixty  feet  wide,  and  in  its 
course  from  the  lake  of  the  same  name  to  Grand  Falls 
(two  miles  above  its  mouth),  descends  one  hundred  and 
ten  feet,  while  the  falls,  including  the  rolling  dam  and 
cataract  below,  make  the  entire  distance  to  the  East 
Branch  of  the  Penobscot  not  far  short  of  one  hundred 
and  seventy  feet. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  97 

The  stream  issues  from  the  lake  with  little  force, 
being  clogged  above  by  a  mass  of  logs,  the  remnants  of 
various  "  booms."  As  it  passes  downward  in  its  course, 
heavy  walls  of  rock,  crowned  by  tall  pines,  arise  on  all 
sides,  often  darkening  the  waters  and  producing  a  canon- 
like appearance  of  the  surroundings. 

The  course  of  the  river  is  over  immense  bowlders  and 
ledges,  often  unobservable,  just  beneath  the  surface,  while 
others  in  sight  stand  like  sentinels  in  the  middle  of  the 
stream,  disputing  one's  passage.  The  flow  is  repeatedly 
marked  by  beautiful  falls  and  rapids,  not  high,  but 
crowded  together  in  narrow  parts,  which  give  greater  ex- 
pression and  grandeur  to  the  water,  presenting  at  various 
p(nnts  the  most  remarkable  scenery  in  this  section.  Cas- 
cade succeeds  cascade,  ending  often  in  an  abrupt  pitch  of 
three  to  five  feet,  and  at  their  base  are  dark  boiling  pools, 
flecked  with  snowy  foam.  The  river  has  not  great  depth 
of  water  at  any  time,  three  to  five  feet  on  the  average,  but 
we  were  fortunate  in  the  extra  supply  of  the  last  week's 
rain,  which,  although  it  prevented  many  "  carries,"  also 
increased  the  volume  and  force  of  water  to  that  extent 
that  made  canoeing  more  hazardous,  and  filled  our  path 
with  greater  dangers. 

The  ladened  birch  canoes  had  passed  us  do^vn  the 
river,  when  the  "  Quartermaster  "  and  the  writer,  buckling 


98  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

their  belts  tighter  about  them,  stepped  lightly  into  the 
canvas  canoe  and  swung  out  into  the  impetuous  river, 
with  feelings  similar  to  what  might  be  expected  in  one 
entering  a  battle. 

My  friend  at  the  stem  held  a  trusty  paddle,  whose 
strength  had  more  than  once  been  tried,  while  the 
writer,  in  a  devotional  attitude  on  a  rubber  blanket 
at  the  bow,  held  a  long  "  setting  pole "  ready  for  duty 
at  a  moment's  notice.  In  half  the  time  I  have  nar- 
rated the  above,  we  were  among  the  furious  rapids,  bat- 
tling with  their  difficulties,  and  shouting  to  each  other 
above  the  roar  of  the  waters,  how  best  to  circumvent 
them.  The  sun,  unfortunately,  shone  the  greater  part  of 
the  time  in  our  faces,  which  produced  a  glimmer  on  the 
water,  often  preventing  the  discoveiy  of  sunken  rocks. 
At  one  time,  while  dashing  down  a  cascade,  we  mounted 
such  a  bowlder,  and,  swinging  around,  leaped  a  five-foot 
fall,  stern  first,  much  to  our  peril.  Again,  with  mighty 
force  we  were  hurled  close  to  the  rocky  shore,  which  only 
a  desperate  use  of  the  paddle  prevented  our  striking. 

At  times  we  were  obliged  to  hold  the  canoe  in  the 
middle  of  the  stream  by  the  long  "  setting  poles,"  firmly 
planted  in  the  bottom,  while  we  made  our  decision  regard- 
ing the  better  of  two  channels,  the  dangers  of  which  there 
was  little  choice,  then  on  we  went  through  the  rush  of  wa- 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


99 


ters,  our  "  setting  poles  "  keeping  time  with  our  eyes,  noting 
the  sunken  rocks  by  the  water's  upheaval,  avoiding  this 
sharp  ledge,  or  that  rough  bowlder,  or  swinging  into  the 
foam  of  another  as  we  shot  swiftly  by. 

Often  with  ease  we  thought  to  pass  a  distant  rock, 
but  mistaking  the  velocity  of  the  water,  doubled  it  by 
a  hair's  breadth.  One  fall  over  which 
the  guides  had  led  their  canoes,  we  ama- 
teurs passed  in  the  canvas  canoe,  the 
water  falling  in  spray  about  us,  but  the 
cheer  for  oui*  bravery  with  which  we 
were  greeted  at  its  base,  paid  us  well  for 
the  risk  incurred. 

At  "  Pine   Knoll "  we  were  obliged 
to  let  our  canoes  over  the 


falls  by  long  ropes  from 
the  cliffs  above,  and  at  an- 
other, soon  after,  two 
of  the  guides,  Weller 
and  Morris,  passed 
safely  in  our  canvas 
boat,  on  account  of 
its  slight  di^aft  of 
water,  although  they 
carried  the  birch  ca- 


LUNCH   TIME    ON    "WEBSTili    STREAM. 


100  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

noes  around.  So  we  continued  our  rapid  progress  down 
tlie  stream,  running  most  of  the  falls,  our  boat  conforming 
to  eacli  situation,  and  almost  seeming  a  part  of  us,  and  tak- 
ing an  interest  in  oui^  exploits.  At  noon  we  stopped  for 
an  hour's  rest  and  lunch  on  the  right  bank  of  the  stream, 
and  while  disposing  of  hard  tack,  canned  corned  beef,  and 
coifee,  our  artist  plied  his  profession,  and  then  on  we  went 
through  other  perils. 

It  was  fearfully  fascinating,  as  our  four  canoes,  follow- 
ing each  other's  lead,  dashed  onward  through  dangers 
which  we  could  hardly  anticipate  before  they  were  passed, 
only  to  be  repeated  and  repeated  at  every  mile  of  the 
stream.  But  the  stimulant  to  one's  feelings  gave  strength 
and  courage  and  even  recklessness,  which,  in  the  wild  sur- 
roundings, made  one  feel  as  if  no  danger  was  too  great 
to  dare.  An  hour  after  our  tarry  for  lunch,  we  entered 
the  deep  and  narrow  chasm  of  swift,  dark  water  above 
Grand  Falls,  and  swinging  our  canoe  into  an  eddy  on  the 
left,  under  the  shadows  of  a  great  rock  (some  five  hun- 
dred feet  high),  we  stepped  out  on  the  shore,  having  com- 
pleted the  excitements  of  a  half-day  that  many  years  will 
fail  to  erase. 

Our  canoes  had  suifered  less  than  we  had  anticipated. 
A  sharp  rock  had  left  its  mark  on  Bowley's  birch,  which 
the  application  of  rosin  and  grease  soon  rectified.     The 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


101 


bottom  of  the  canvas  boat  had  two  small  cuts  about  mid- 
ships, so  the  use  of  needle  and  thread  became  necessary, 
the  "  Quartermaster  "  and  coTtipagnon-du-voyage,  choosing 
for  their  modus  operandi 


different  sides  of  the  ca- 
noe, putting  the  needle 
back  and  forth  with  iron 
pliers. 

A  few  moments'  rest, 
and  while  the  guides  were 
"sacking"  the   camp  kit 
across      "  Indian     carry," 
three-quarters   of   a   mile 
to  the   East    Branch   (at 
right   angles    with    Web- 
ster stream),  we  gathered 
up  the  artist's  cam- 
era and  plates,  and 
pushed  forward  to 
examine  the  pictur- 
esque   beauties    of 
Grand    Falls,    and 
catch  all  we  could 
while  the  light  lasted. 

Grand  Falls  is  from  forty  to  fifty  feet  high,  seventy 


IT  S   NOT    ALL    POETRY. 


102  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

feet  wide,  surrounded  on  all  sides,  for  half  a  mile,  by 
ledges  of  iron-colored  rocks  of  nearly  the  same  height, 
which  decrease  in  altitude  as  they  near  the  Penobscot 
Eiver  below.  From  a  point  beneath,  the  scene  is  grand 
in  its  somber  magnificence,  as  the  swift  torrent,  striking 
midway  upon  a  projecting  ledge  in  the  center  of  the  fall, 
rebounds  in  foam  flakes,  which,  after  the  momentary  in- 
terruption, continue  to  fall  into  the  dark  whirlpool  of 
water  below. 

We  place  the  tripod  upon  a  prominent  ledge,  and, 
mounting  the  camera,  our  artist  prepares  the  plates  in 
his  mysterious  cloth-covered  box  or  "  dark  room,"  while 
we  further  exclude  the  light  by  covering  him  with  our 
rubber  blankets.  But  the  mist  and  spray  blinds  us,  and 
we  are  obliged  to  gather  up  the  camera  and  retreat  to 
another  ledge  before  we  can  operate. 

The  water,  of  a  dark  reddish  hue,  in  strong  contrast 
with  the  snowy  foam,  circles  around  and  around  in  the 
eddies,  kissing  the  rocks  on  all  sides  in  its  whirl,  and, 
amid  the  roar  of  the  fall,  goes  dashing  on  for  about  four 
hundred  feet,  and  then  plunges  over  a  "  rolling  dam  "  on 
its  course  to  the  Penobscot,  making  canoeing  the  balance 
of  the  distance  on  this  river  impossible. 

The  light  from  above,  reflecting  on  the  cliff  above  the 
fall,  glancing  with  rich  beauty  on  rock  and  cascade,  the 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  105 

fantastic  growth  of  trees  on  every  ledge,  make  up  a  fas- 
cinating charm  that  each  succeeding  picture  varies  in  de- 
tail, but  which  pertains  with  almost  equal  force  to  every 
part  of  the  entire  chasm.  While  our  artist  was  at  work, 
we  busied  ourselves  gathering  the  luscious  blue  and 
blackbemes,  and  scarlet  wintergreen  berries  which  grew 
in  profusion  around  us ;  they  were  of  great  size,  the 
average  bluebeny  being  an  inch,  and  the  wintergreen 
berries  an  inch  and  a  half  in  circumference — measurement 
being  taken  at  the  time  on  the  spot. 

After  filling  a  three-quart  pail  with  berries,  we  di- 
vided the  artist's  "  kit "  among  us,  found  the  "  carry,"  and 
pressed  on  to  camp,  to  which  place  our  guides  had  pre- 
ceded us  with  tent  and  canoes. 

Supper  ended,  we  again  sought  the  river's  bank,  a 
mile  below  the  falls  at  a  place  called  "the  Arches,"  where, 
in  the  radiance  of  a  gorgeous  sunset,  we  again  drank  to 
our  fill  of  this  picturesque  locality.  Words  fail  to  de- 
scribe the  beauties  of  this  scene,  mth  which  even  the 
guides,  slow  to  recognize  the  attractiveness  of  nature, 
were  enraptured. 

"  O  Nature,  how  in  every  charm  supreme  ! 
Whose  votaries  feast  on  raptures  ever  new  ! 
0  for  the  voice  and  fire  of  seraphim, 
To  sing  thy  glories  with  devotion  due ! " 


IQQ  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

Around  tlie  big  camp-fire  that  night,  each  narrated 
his  individual  experience  of  the  day's  adventures,  and 
the  hair-breadth  escapes  in  running  the  rapids. 

"  But,"  says  Bowley,  the  guide,  "  you  should  accom- 
pany the  lumbermen  '  on  the  drive,'  and  see  the  perils 
they  run  while  starting  a  '  jam  '  on  these  rivers.  Often 
the  logs  are  piled  one  upon  another,  until  it  seems  as  if 
nothing  but  an  avalanche  would  start  them.  But  one 
log  is  loosened,  and  then  another,  and  another,  and  in  a 
moment  the  whole  mass  goes  sweeping  do^vn  stream  with 
terrific  force,  and  woe  betide  the  unlucky  '  diiver '  in  its 
path." 

From  the  first  of  the  trip  to  this  moment,  the  guides 
had  failed  to  praise  the  working  of  the  canvas  canoe,  as 
it  came  in  competition  with  their  birch  barks.  But  this 
day's  trial  proved  beyond  question  its  qualities,  and 
wrung  from  them  an  acknowledgment  they  were  not  slow 
to  utter. 

"  It  was  fun  to  watch  you,  gentlemen,"  says  Morris, 
to  the  Quartermaster  and  myself,  as  we  sat  drying  our- 
selves before  the  fire,  "  you  came  over  the  '  rips '  like  a  per- 
fect duck.  I  don't  believe  you  could  drown  the  craft  if 
you  tried."  While  the  French  Canadian,  Weller,  taking 
the  pipe  from  his  mouth,  ejaculated,  '■^Ma  fois  !  she  goes 
over  the  falls  like  a  chain  over  a  log  ! " 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


109 


On  Thursday,  August  21st,  we  wet  our  canoes  for  the 
first   time  in   the  East  Branch  of   the  Penobscot  river. 


although  from  Chamberlin  lake  to  this  point  it  is  strictly 
a  part  of  the  same  stream  under  different  names. 

The  river  at  this  spot  is  only  about  fifteen  feet  wide, 
very  deep,  with  long  meadow  grass  lapping  and  fringing 
its  border,  and  flowing  with  the  rapidity  of  a  mill  course, 
each  bubble  as  it  shot  by  seeming  to  have  an  individ- 
uality of  purpose,  which  to  the  writer  was  very  amusing. 

6 


XIO  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

Hardly  had  we  dropped  into  our  accustomed  posi- 
tions in  tlie  canoes  before  we  were  swept  away  from  the 
bank,  past  the  tall  alders,  and  darted  with  lightning 
speed  down  the  river  a  mile  and  a  half  and  out  on  to 
the  placid  Matagamonsis  lake.  This  was  one  of  the 
loveliest  bodies  of  water  on  our  course,  dotted  with  small 
islands  and  far-reaching  points  of  shore,  the  tall  Norway 
pines  forming  a  wall  of  beauty  on  either  side. 

The  lake  is  about  one  mile  wide  and  four  long, 
and  the  spruce-covered  tops  of  Traveler  mountains  to 
the  southwest  are  reflected  in  its  mirror-like  surface. 
From  the  top  of  a  bold  crag  at  its  foot  we  stopped  for 
a  sketch  of  the  lake,  and  then  passed  downward  through 
the  sluggish  stream  of  three  miles  which  connects  it 
with  Matagamon  or  Grand  lake. 

To  the  left  or  east  of  this  stream,  and  half  way  be- 
tween these  lakes,  is  another  lake  about  two  miles  in 
extent,  which  we  fail  to  find  noticed  on  any  map  we  have 
seen,  and  lies  in  close  proximity  to  '^  Hay  creek,"  but  is 
not  what  is  termed  in  this  section  "  a  logan."  (See  In- 
troduction, page  15.) 

Half  a  mile  from  this  lake,  the  stream  passes  under  a 
foot  bridge,  which  leads  to  a  farm  on  Trout  Brook 
stream,  the  first  loggers'  camp  since  leaving  Chamberlin 
farm,  a  distance  of  over  seventy-five  miles. 


DISCOVERY  OF  A  NEW  LAKE. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


113 


This  farm,  owned  by  E.  S.  Coe,  Esq.,  of  Bangor,  con- 
sists of  four  houses  built  close  together,  and  eight  or  ten 


barns,  with  about  four  hundred  acres  of  cleared  land, 
through  which  flows  the  swift-running  trout  brook.  Half 
a  dozen  batteaux  lay  turned  over  on  the  grass,  bounteous 
crops  of  oats  and  potatoes  were  ripening  in  the  fields, 
while  the  industrious  chicken  (evidence  of  civilization) 
was  picking  about  the  doors. 

The  house  where  our  party  dined  was  occupied  by  a 
man  and  his  wife  and  one  small  boy.  The  rooms  to  this 
house  were  low  and  smoky,  like  all  the  rest  we  had  seen, 
with  the  big  iron  box  stove  in  the  center ;  the  only  change 


114  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

fi'om  the  usual  wall  decoration  was  perceived  in  an  adver- 
tisement  of  Pinafore  opera  music,  which,  pasted  beside 
the  other  illustrations,  made  us  feel  quite  homesick. 

After  dinner  at  the  house,  our  party  bade  our  new- 
found friends  adieu,  and  paddled  down  the  Thoroughfare 
into  Grand  or  Matagamon  lake,  which  is  about  one-third 
longer  than  Lake  Matagamonsis,  and  went  into  camp  at 
its  foot,  on  the  right  bank,  near  another  old  dam. 

The  eastern  shore  of  this  lake  (the  largest  body  of 
water  on  our  course  since  leaving  Chamberlin  lake)  is  not 
especially  attractive  to  the  artist,  being  low  and  covered 
with  meadow  grass.  But  the  western  is  decidedly  pictur- 
esque, being  bold  and  rocky,  which,  climbing  from  eleva- 
tion to  elevation,  finally  culminates  in  the  precipitous  and 
rugged  peak  of  Matagamon  mountain,  towering  above 
one's  head  to  the  height  of  six  hundred  feet,  and  is 
almost  divested  of  foliage.  We  halted  but  one  night  on 
this  lake,  but  were  well  rewarded  by  the  number  and 
size  of  the  fine  trout  captured,  adding  also  to  our  creel  a 
small  salmon. 


OUR    SALMON. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

"  By  viewing  nature,  Nature's  handmaid,  art. 
Makes  mighty  things  from  small  beginnings  grow. 
Thus,  fishes  first  to  shipping  did  impart 
Their  tail  the  rudder,  and  their  head  the  prow." 

DANGER  OF  WANDERING  FROM  CAMP.— AN  EXPERIENCE  ON 
LAKE  SUPERIOR.— THE  FALLS  OF  THE  EAST  BRANCH.— 
STAIR  FALLS.— INCIDENTS  OF  CA3IP  LIFE.— AN  ENCHANTED 
BOWER.— HUNT'S  FARM.— AN  ARTIST'S  CANOE.— THE  AS- 
CENT OF  HUNT'S  MOUNTAIN— A  REVERIE.— WHETSTONE 
FALLS.— DISCOVERT  OF  JASPER  ON  LEDGE  FALLS.— DAWN 
OF  CIVILIZATION.— MATTAWAMKEAG.— THE  EAST  BRANCH 
CANVAS-ED. 

X  OFTEN  thouglit  how  easily  one  could  stray  fi'om 
camp,  and,  if  without  a  compass,  be  lost  in  this  wildei'- 
ness.  While  hunting  on  Lake  Superior  one  autumn,  some 
years  since,  I  endured  such  an  experience,  and  the  bitter- 
ness of  it  has  always  remained  fresh  in  my  memoiy.  While 
passing  over  the  corduroy  road  of  thirteen  and  a  half 


11^  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

miles  wliicli  lies  between  tlie  town  of  Ontonagon,  Mich., 
and  tlie  Minnesota  copper  mines,  my  attention  was  al- 
lured from  the  road  by  the  melodious  whir-r-r-r,  whir-r-r-r 
of  a  brace  of  partridges.  Stepping  aside  into  the  thicket, 
I  followed  as  fast  as  possible  the  retreating  sound,  and 
after  a  tedious  tramp  through  briers  and  swamp  I  finally 
brought  them  to  bag.  In  the  excitement  of  the  chase,  I 
had  given  little  or  no  heed  to  the  path,  or  to  the  clouds 
that  were  fast  gathering  overhead. 

Starting  back  in  the  direction  I  supposed  the  road,  I 
traveled,  it  seemed  to  me,  double  the  distance  that  would 
have  revealed  it,  but  no  familiar  path  did  I  find.  In  fact, 
I  was  amazed  in  discovering  that  I  was  back  on  the  same 
ground  on  which  I  had  started.  There  was  no  reason  in 
the  thing, — no  reasoning  against  it.  The  points  of  the 
compass  had  been  as  clear  in  my  head  as  if  I  saw  the 
needle,  but  the  moment  I  was  back,  all  seemed  to  be 
wrong.  The  sun,  which  occasionally  revealed  itself, 
shone  out  of  the  wrong  part  of  the  heavens.  I  climbed 
one  of  the  tall  trees,  but  the  very  stillness  of  the  land- 
scape on  which  I  gazed  seemed  to  mock  me. 

I  was  not  a  novice  in  woodcraft,  and  could  follow  a 
trail  readily.  I  examined  the  bark  of  the  trees  to  see 
which  side  was  the  roughest,  and  then,  singling  out  a 
number,  judged  of  the  points  of  the  compass  by  the  way 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  119 

the  majority  leaned,  and  plunging  into  the  thicket  made 
another  and  another  attempt. 

I  well  knew  the  danger  of  losing  my  self-control, 
and,  sitting  down  on  a  log,  I  covered  my  face  wdth  my 
hands  and  waited  until  I  felt  calm  and  self-possessed 
again.  I  have  no  idea  how  long  it  was,  but  when  I  arose 
the  sun  was  nearly  obliterated  by  the  clouds,  which  soon 
began  to  discharge  their  contents  in  sympathy  for  my  ill 
luck,  and  to  reach  my  destination  I  must  make  all  speed. 

I  immediately  struck  a  "  bee  line "  in  the  direction 
which  my  reveries  had  designated  as  the  right  path, 
blazing  the  trees  with  my  hunting-knife  as  I  hastened 
along.  Soon  I  espied  an  opening,  and,  dashing  onward, 
what  was  my  joy  to  find  the  old  corduroy  road,  which 
never  looked  more  Avelcome  in  its  life. 

From  Grand  lake  to  the  junction  of  the  East  with 
the  West  branch  of  the  Penobscot  it  is  sixty  to  seventy- 
five  miles,  the  river  being  shut  in  on  all  sides  by  lofty 
mountains,  or  heavy  belts  of  grand  old  forests,  through 
which  the  swift  river  tumbles,  with  only  an  occasional 
suggestion  of  the  lumberman's  axe. 

There  are  eleven  conspicuous  falls  in  this  interval, 
varying  fi'om  twenty  to  sixty  feet  in  height,  while  the 
charming  cascades  are  too  numerous  to  mention.  The 
abrupt  descents  bear  the  names  of  Stair,  Haskell  Rock, 


120 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


Grand,  Pond  Pitch,  Hulling  Machine,  Bowling,  Spring 
Brook  Gravel  Bed,  Whetstone,  Grindstone,  Crowfoot, 
and  Ledge  Falls,  their  names,  in 
many  cases,  suggesting  their  wild 
and  rugged  formation. 

The    water     swept     so    swiftly 
through  this  section  that  with   the 
exception  of  the  last  twenty  miles  it 
was  hardly  necessary  to  use  our  pad- 
dles,  but,   keeping    an   eye   to   the 
rocks  in  our  path;  we  could  silently 
enjoy     the     many 
lovely  changes  con- 
stantly opening  in 
the  landscape. 

But  this  also 
was  decidedly  the 
hardest  part  of  the 
entire  excursion. — 
At  most  of  these 
falls,  our  whole 
camp  equipage,  pro- 
visions, and  canoes  had  to  be  "  sacked  "  around  the  falls 
from  one  to  two  miles,  and  in  many  cases  there  was  hard 
climbing  along  the  steep,  rocky  sides  of  the  mountains 


%^ 


ON    THE    EAST  BRANCH. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  121 

wliicli  followed  the  river's  course,  while  eacli  one  of  us 
carried  his  portion  of  the  load. 

For  two  and  a  half  miles  after  leaving  Grand  lake 
one  is  constantly  reminded  of  the  day's  experience  on 
Webster  stream  by  the  furious  rapids,  and  we  were 
again  obliged  to  call  into  action  our  "  setting  poles."  In 
a  drenching  rain,  we  were  twice  compelled  to  land  on  the 
shore,  take  the  canvas  boat  into  our  laps  and  sew  the 
cuts  in  its  surface,  laughing  at  the  philosophical  manner 
Avith  which  we  submitted  to  the  circumstance. 

Along  the  river's  bank  to  the  west,  for  many  miles, 
are  the  lovely  Traveler  mountains,  whose  rambling  ap- 
pearance and  daily  companionship  are  fully  represented 
by  their  name. 

Stair  Falls  the  "  Quartermaster"  and  myself  ran  in  our 
canvas  canoe,  but  the  guides,  tending  their  birches  as  if 
they  were  glass,  dropped  them  from  step  to  step  by 
means  of  ropes. 

This  fall  or  cascade  is  a  series  of  steps  or  stairs  some 
five  in  number,  each  about  three  feet  high  and  ten  feet 
apart,  the  best  passage  being  through  the  channel  near 
the  left  bank.  It  is  a  very  choice  bit  of  scenery,  and 
one  that  any  artist  would  greatly  desire  to  transfer  to 
canvas  and  work  into  endless  variety  of  composition.  A 
ten-mile  passage  of  the  swift  river,  and  we  reached  Grand 


122 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


falls,  whicli,  althougli  higher  than  its  namesake  on  Web- 
ster river,  being  followed  immediately  by  numerous  cata- 
racts did  not  so  impress  one. 

Here  we  were  obliged  to  make  a  portage  of  three- 
fourths  of   a   mile   through 
the  dense  woods  to  the  foot 
of  the  falls,  and,  in  a  heavy 
shower,  went  into  camp  on 
the  opposite  shore.     To  the 
^'  camper-out "  a  rainy  day  in 
the  woods  is  among  the  most 
disagreeable  experiences,even 
tent,  with  good 
company  and 
plenty   of 
amusement. 
I  But  the  dif- 
ficulties    in- 
^  crease  by  be- 
^  ing  forced  to 
be  out  in  the 
storm,  and  to 

leave  your  canoe  at  a  portage  and  obliged  to  carry  on 
your  back  through  mud  and  mire  all  your  camp  efl'ects. 
Through  the  woods  you  stumble,  pressing  the  wet 


DROPPING  CANOES  OVER  THE  FALLS. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


123 


brandies  aside,  whicli  in  their  recoil  push  away  your 
rubber  clothing,  from  which  the  buttons  are  fast  disap- 


ACCEPTING   THE   SITUATION. 


pearing  and  the  rents  appearing,  and  whose  special  pro- 
tection is  sadly  deficient,  until  the  repetition  of  such 
circumstances  as  thoroughly  drenches  you  as  if  you  had 


124  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

been  without  them.  Tlie  water  is  dripping  from  off  your 
hat  to  your  neck  and  rolling  down  your  back  in  icy 
rills.  The  position  of  your  arms  in  carrying  your  "  kit " 
is  such  as  to  lead  a  looker-on  to  imagine  you  are  striving 
hard  to  fill  your  sleeves  with  the  rain,  which  you  know  is 
a  mistake,  but  there  is  no  help  for  it.  You  clutch  tightly 
to  your  rifle  as  your  pack  begins  to  slip,  striving  to  keep 
the  locks  from  the  rain,  while  your  boots  have  been  inno- 
cently occupied  in  catching  every  scanty  drop  w^hich  fell 
from  your  clothing,  and  you  have  every  appearance,  if 
not  the  feeling,  of  the  oft-quoted  "drowned  rat."  You 
would  not  have  your  wife,  or  other  friend,  see  you  at 
this  moment  for  anything.  How  they  would  laugh,  and 
hurl  at  you  many  of  your  pet  quotations  regarding  the 
"  poetry,  pleasure,  and  romance  of  life  in  the  woods,"  until 
you  had  rather  endure  another  storm  than  their  irony. 

Then  comes  the  raising  of  the  wet  tent  into  position, 
the  repeated  attempts  to  start  the  fire,  and  the  holding  of 
every  individual  fir  branch  in  the  flame  to  dry  before 
performing  the  duty  of  bed. 

Two  forked  sticks  with  one  across  are  placed  before 
the  fire,  and  on  them  you  hang  boots,  socks,  blankets,  and 
other  articles  of  your  belongings,  and,  while  the  guides 
are  cleaning  your  guns,  you  examine  the  provision  boxes 
to  see  if  they  have  escaped  the  drenching. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


125 


It  is  amusing  how  stoical  and  indifferent  one  grows  to 
these  circumstances  in  the  woods,  and  soon  makes  but 
little  of  them,  retaining  as  serene  and  unruffled  a  dispo- 


sition as  if  they  were  of  no  account,  while  after  a  warm 
supper  and  a  social  pipe  they  pass  from  memory. 

I  will  not  weary  the  reader  by  a  description  of  the 
passage  of  each  fall  from  day  to  day  on  our  route,  some 
of  which  we  ran,  and  past  others  we  "carried,"  letting 
the  canoes,  as  before,  over  the  difficulties  by  long  ropes 
from  the  cliffs  above.  After  passing  Spring  Brook 
Gravel  Bed  Falls,  we  paddled  through  a  hiile  or  two  of 


126 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


heavy  "rips"   and   entered   some   two   miles   of  "dead    | 

water."  ] 

On  turning  a  beautiful  bend  in  tlie  river,  wliat  was    ; 


our  surprise  to  observe  the  rugged  growth  of  pines  grad-  \ 

ually  disappear,  and  the  landscape  immediately  softened  i 

by  the  introduction  of  a  dense  forest  of  maple,  elm,  ash,  i 

and  noble  oak  trees,  whose  gnarled  trunks  pushed  them-  i 

selves  far   into  the  stream,  their   branches  overlocking  : 

above  our  heads  and  forming  a  canopy  that  darkened  the  i 

water.  : 

Exclamations  of  surprise  rang  from  our  lips  as  all  the  : 


THE  ARCHES. 
EftBt  Branch  of  the  Penohscot  River. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  129 

canoes  in  "  Indian  file  "  drifted  through  this  enchanting 
bower,  and  we  thought  to  ourselves,  if  in  the  quiet  dress 
of  summer  this  is  so  lovely,  what  must  it  be  when  robed 
in  autumnal  foliage. 

Passing  the  mouth  of  Big  and  Little  Seboois  rivers, 
we  pitched  our  tent  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river  near  a 
place  known  as  Hunt's  Farm. 

The  solitary  log-house  and  barn  on  Hunt's  farm  were 
erected  some  forty-three  years  ago,  and  are  located  on 
high  ground  in  a  picturesque  bend  of  the  Penobscot  river. 

The  house  outside  is  painted  red,  white- washed  inside, 
with  low  ceilings  similar  to  the  others  mentioned.  In 
addition  to  the  cultivation  of  land  near  the  house,  an  at- 
tempt was  made  some  seasons  ago  to  press  into  tillage,  as 
a  melon  patch,  the  side  of  an  adjacent  mountain,  but  the 
fruit,  as  soon  as  it  grew  hea\y  and  ripened,  snapped  its 
hold  on  the  vines,  rolled  down  the  mountain  side,  and  was 
crushed  at  its  base.  As  can  easily  be  seen,  this  elevated 
farm  was  not  a  success,  and  now  only  the  bright  green  foli- 
age of  a  fresh  growth  of  trees  is  left  to  tell  the  melancholy 
story.  Mr.  Dunn,  who,  assisted  by  three  other  persons, 
takes  care  of  the  place,  showed  us  many  attentions,  sup- 
plying us  mth  fresh  milk  and  sugar,  and  other  delicacies 
that  had  been  foreign  to  our  fare  at  camp  for  many  days. 

The  manufacture  of  birch  canoes  seemed  to  be  one  of 


130 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


the  industries  of  the  place,  an  immense  one  being  then  in 
process  of  building  for  the  celebrated  New  York  artist, 
Frederick  E.  Church,  Esq.     This  canoe  was  twenty-eight 


feet  long,  over  four  feet  wide  (midships),  and  when  com- 
pleted would  weigh  three  hundred  pounds. 

The  artist  has  recently  purchased  four  hundred  acres 
of  land  on  Milinokett  Lake,  fifteen  miles  distant,  a  tribu- 
tary to  the  West  Branch  of  the  Penobscot  Kiver,  one  of 
the  prettiest  sheets  of  water  in  that  vicinity.  A  fine 
view  of  Mount  Katahdin  can  be  had  from  this  spot,  and 
men  were  to  leave  this  farm  the  following  day  to  erect 
three  substantial  log  camps. 


MOUNT  KATAHDIN. 


Study  by  F.  E.  CIturc/t. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  133 

The  ascension  of  Mount  Katahdin  can  mth  little  dif- 
ficulty be  made  from  Hunt's  farm,  Avhere  a  convenient 
ride  on  horseback  lands  one  witliin  two  miles  of  its  top. 
I  shall  not  soon  forget  the  climb  of  Hunt's  Mountain, 
about  twelve  hundred  feet  high,  opposite  our  camp,  or  the 
magnificent  view  from  its  peak. 

With  Mr.  Dunn  as  guide,  in  company  mth  the  "  Quar- 
termaster," I  started  to  make  the  ascent  on  the  morning  of 
August  24th.  To  clamber  up  the  steep  side  of  a  moun- 
tain in  the  dense  wilderness  is  an  entirely  different  under- 
taking from  the  follomng  of  a  "  bridal  path  "  to  the  top  of 
Mount  Washington.  Cutting  stout  poles  seven  feet  in 
length,  we  set  off  up  the  mountain  side,  catching  half 
glimpses  of  the  landscape  below,  as  we  swung  from  tree 
to  tree  and  rock  to  rock,  which  latter  had  been  made  ex- 
tra slippery  by  a  recent  shower,  and,  after  two  hours  of 
laborious  climbing,  gained  the  bare  but  welcome  crags  at 
the  top.  The  first  sensation  of  the  prospect  from  the 
summit  is  simply  of  immensity.  The  eye  sweeps  the  vast 
spaces  that  are  bounded  only  by  the  haze  of  distance,  over- 
looking one  vast  undulating  sea  of  forest  trees,  which 
seemed  to  come  rolling  in  to  the  mountain's  base,  with  only 
here  and  there  the  glimmer  of  a  lake  or  stream,  and  little 
to  break  the  vision  save  the  farm  at  our  feet,  where  we 
could  just  distinguish  the  white  canvas  of  our  camp.     To 


134 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


the  left  stretch  successive  ranges  of  hills  and  mountains, 
and  at  their  base  could  be  had  momentary  glimpses  of  the 
windings  of  the  West  Branch  of  the  Penobscot,  while  to 


our  right  was  its  twin  brother,  the  East  Branch,  over 
which  we  had  so  recently  passed,  its  misty  falls  and  cas- 
cades subdued  to  a  level  ^\  ith  the  surrounding  landscape. 
These  two  streams  sweep  away  to  the  south  twenty  miles, 
and  unite  in  unbroken  union  at  Medway,  on  their  way  to 
the  sea. 

Before  me  arose  the  cloud-capped  peak  of  Mount 
Katahdin,  5,r.85  feet  high,  Wasataquoik  Mountain,  5,245 
feet  high,  the  lofty  Traveler  and  Sourdnahunk  mountains. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA.  X35 

whicli,  with  the  exception  of  the  first,  are  wooded  to  their 
summits.  Broad  seams,  or  slides,  are  visible  along  the 
surface  of  old  Katahdin,  which,  with  its  triple-peaked 
outline,  seemed  to  look  down  into  the  v^alleys  with  a  fath- 
erly interest,  while  ''  the  ^vhispering  air  sent  inspiration 
fi'om  the  mountain  heights." 

The  thunder  clouds  had  just  parted,  and  a  beautiful 
rainbow  arched  the  heavens,  shedding  its  colors  on  the 
glistening  outlines  of  the  valley  and  mountain.  Oh, 
that  we  might  be  left  alone  for  hours,  to  watch  the 
changes  of  the  landscape  and  hear  the  secret  voice  and 
di'ead  revelations  of  these  mao;nificent  mountains  ! 

There  are  thoughts,  deep  and  holy,  which  float  through 
one's  mind,  as,  gazing  do^vn  upon  such  a  scene,  one  con- 
trasts the  smallness  of  man  with  the  magnitude  of  God's 
works,  and  in  the  weird  silence  contemplates  the  perish- 
able of  this  world  with  "  the  everlasting  hills." 

After  such  a  prospect  of  the  East  Branch  and  vicinity, 
it  almost  seems  as  if  we  ought  to  bid  adieu  to  this  en- 
chanting river  of  our  naiTative,  but  if  the  future  tourist 
shall  desire  to  make  its  acquaintance,  I  would  like  to 
guide  him  safely  over  four  other  remarkable  falls  to  his 
journey's  end  at  Mattawamkeag,  thirty-two  miles  below. 

Two  miles  from  Hunt's  farm,  we  came  to  what  is 
known  as  Whetstone  Falls,  a  series  of  high,  picturesque 


136  '  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

cascades.  Here  we  made  a  sliort  ]3ortage  on  the  riglit" 
hand  side  of  the  stream,  then  shot  across  and  down  a 
very  steep  pitch  of  the  water  close  to  the  left  bank,  and 
landed  a  portion  of  our  baggage  which  we  carried  to  a 
point  below.  Then  the  guides  ran  the  heavier  part  of  the 
falls,  and,  after  passing  the  quick  boiling  water  at  their 
foot,  rounded  to  the  shore  and  re-loaded  the  camp  kit  which 
we  had  "sacked"  over  the  ledges  at  the  river's  bank. 
Then  we  passed,  mthout  accident.  Grindstone  and  Crow- 
foot Falls,  each  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  high,  the  name 
of  the  former  being  so  suggestive  by  its  geological  forma- 
tion that  the  "  Quartermaster "  declared  that  he  could 
honestly  see  the  indentation  of  the  axle.  Another  camp 
seven  miles  from  Medway,  and  in  the  morning  we  passed 
Ledge  Falls,  which,  although  the  last  of  the  pitches  on 
the  East  Branch,  was  none  the  less  interesting. 

We  passengers,  to  lighten  the  canvas,  strolled  along 
the  shore,  gathering  bright  flowers  and  curious  colored 
stones,  while  the  guides  alone  in  their  canoes  ran  the  cat- 
aract, meeting  us  in  the  "  dead  water  "  below.  These  falls 
are  composed  of  slate  of  a  grayish  color,  which,  after  the 
first  steep  pitch  form  into  numerous  cascades,  produced 
by  the  sharp  ridges  of  rock,  which,  extending  out  into  the 
stream  from  both  shores,  decrease  in  height  as  they  ap- 
proacli  the  center. 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


137 


A  dark  red  stone  attracted  my  attention,  and  I  waded 
into  the  water  to  secure  it,  and  on  regaining  tlie  canoe 
soon  after,  threw  it  into  my  camp-bag,  little  dreaming  of 
the  value  of  my  prize.  On  reaching  home  it  was  ex- 
amined by  an  old  and  experienced  lapidary,  and  proved 
to  be  sijasjMr  of  exquisite  grain  and  color. 


GLIMPSES   OF   CIVILIZATION   BEGIN   TO   DAWN. 


A  portion  of  the  stone,  as  an  article  of  jewelry,  in- 
crusted  with  the  magic  words  "  Ledge  Falls,"  is  highly 
prized  and  now  worn  as  a  souvenir  by  the  ^^^^iter. 


138  CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 

The  stream  now  gradually  widens,  witli  strong  but 
noiseless  flow ;  tlie  mountains  retire,  and  tlie  banks  of  tlie 
river  are  for  tlie  most  part  bordered  by  foot-liills  and 
grassy  knolls.  Glimpses  of  civilization  begin  to  dawn 
as  we  occasionally  pass  a  log  liouse  whose  lonesome  ap- 
pearance is  only  relieved  by  the  happy  faces  of  children 
at  the  door.  Corn-fields  wave  their  tall  stems,  while 
broad  patches  of  potatoes  (for  which  Maine  is  justly  cel- 
ebrated) flourish  here  surprisingly.  It  is  a  sudden 
change  from  the  forest's  depths,  after  a  month's  camp 
life,  and  seems  to  urge  us  towards  home  more  and  more 
rapidly. 

We  are  soon  at  Medway,  the  junction  of  the  East 
and  West  Branches,  (a  small  town  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Penobscot  River,  of  about  four  hundred  inhabitants,) 
and  are  speeding  faster  and  faster  thi-ough  the  broad 
river  to  Mattawamkeag  on  the  European  and  North 
American  railroad. 

We  have  followed  the  river  in  its  devious  windings, 
from  a  width  of  fifteen  to  now  an  expansion  of  over  five 
hundred  feet. 

We  have  felt  the  mysterious  silence  of  the  wilderness 
at  early  morn,  or  as  the  twilight  lessened  and  the  shadows 
deepened  about  the  camp,  only  broken  by  the  chirp  of 


CANOE  AND  CAMERA. 


139 


the  cricket,  or  the  weird  and  plaintive  cry  of  the  loons 
on  the  lake. 

Our  tour  has  been  one  of  daily  excitement,  filled  from 
first  to  last  with  grand  old  forests,  noble  Avaterf alls,  pictur- 
esque lakes,  and  cascades.  A  region  in  which  an  artist 
might  linger  many  weeks  with  profit  to  both  eye  and 
brush,  while  the  recuperation  to  one's  health  by  the  out- 
door life  in  the  diy  atmosphere  cannot  be  overestimated. 

Springing  ashore,  we  unjoint  our  rods,  pack  up  the 
camera,  collapse  the  canvas  canoe,  and  with  hearts  full  of 
thanks  to  the  kind  Pro\4dence  which  has  watched  over 
our  two  hundred  mile  voyage,  we  bid  adieu  to  our 
guides,  as  we  do  now  to  the  reader. 


NET  RESULTS. 


ANOTHER   CHARMING   BOOK    BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF 

CANOE   AND    CAMERA." 


PADDLE  ADD  PORTA 


J 


FROM 


MOOSEHEAD   LAKE 


AROOSTOOK  RIVER,  MAINE. 

By  Thomas  Sedgwick   Steele. 

THIS   TOUR   OP 

Over  Four  Hundred  Miles  in  a  Birch  Canoe, 

through  the  very  heart  of  Maine  to  New  Brunswick,  is  one  of  great  interest, 
opening  a  region  entirely  unlvnown  lieretofore  to  the  sportsman,  but  rich  in 
beautiful  scenery,  game,  fish,  and  exciting  adventure.  The  account  of  the 
exploration,  its  hardships,  and  its  successes,  are  given  with  great  spirit,  while 
the  illustrations  are  accurate  reproductions  from 

PHOTOGRAPHS  PERSONALLY  MADE  BY  THE  AUTHOR. 

Mr.  Steele  has  already  made  himself  widely  known  by  his  contributions 
to  the  public  press  regarding  this  paradise  of  out-door  pleasure  seekers,  while 
his  artistic  taste  has  made  this  book  a  fitting  companion  of  "Canoe  and 
Camera." 

A   NEW  MAP   OF   MAINE, 

20x30  inches,  has  been  expressly  prepared  for  the  work,  which  includes  the 
tours  of  the  East  and  West  Branches  of  the  Penobscot,  the  St.  Johns,  and  Aroos- 
took waters,  besides  portions  of  Canada  and  New  Brunswick,  and  supplies  a 
want  long  felt  by  tourists  to  these  regions. 

1  vol.    Crown  8vo.     ClotU.     $1.50. 

Sent,  post-paid,  on  receipt  of  price,  by 

ESTES    &c    LATJRIA.T,    Publishers, 

■^01  to  305  Washington  Street,  BOSTON    MASS 


JUST    PUBLISHED. 


A   NEW   MAP  OF   THE 

HEADWATERS   OF    THE 

AROOSTOOK,  PENOBSCOT,  AND  ST,  JOHN  RIVERS, 

MAINE. 

COMPILED    BY 

THOMAS    SEDG-WICK    STEELE, 

HARTFORD,    CONN. 

AUTHOK    OF 

CANOE     AND    CAMERA  ;      or,     Two     Hundred    Miles     Through     the 

Maine   Forests. 
PADDLE    AND    PORTAGE,   from    Moosehead  Lake   to   the  Aroostook 

River,   etc.,  etc. 


What  is  said  of  the  Map  bj'  the  well-known  Sportsman's  Paper,  "  Forest  and  Stream." 
"A  New  Map  of  Northern  Maine.  —  Mr.  Thomas  Sedgewick  Steele,  author  of 
'  Canoe  and  Camera '  and  other  works,  has  just  compiled  one  of  the  most  satisfactory  maps 
of  the  great  canoe  tours  of  Northern  Maine  yet  published.  This  chart  is  20x30  inches, 
printed  on  Government  Survey  paper,  mounted  on  cloth,  and  is  an  invaluable  aid  to  the 
sportsman  tourist  in  these  wild  regions,  — in  fact,  to  such  an  individual  it  is  a  most  neces- 
sary adjunct  to  the  economy  of  his  camp  kit.  From  the  extreme  lower  portion  of  the  map 
covered  bj-  Moosehead  Lake  diverge  the  great  rivers  of  this  vast  wilderness, — the  Main 
St.  John,  Aroostook,  and  East  and  West  Branches  of  the  Penobscot,  while  a  portion  of  Canada 
on  the  north  and  New  Brunswick  on  the  east  is  embraced  within  its  boundaries.  Great  care 
has  been  exercised  in  noting  many  points  along  these  routes,  which,  although  of  the  greatest 
importance  to  the  canoeist,  are  seldom  brought  within  the  scope  of  the  ordinary  map.  Along 
the  Main  St.  John  every  log  house  and  portage  seems  to  be  conscientiously  indicated,  while 
the  many  falls  of  the  picturesque  East  Branch  are  noted,  to  the  advantage  and  caution  of 
the  voyageur  of  these  waters.  After  leaving  tlie  fanns  at  Chesuncook  and  Chamberlin 
Lake  the  tourist  to  the  Aroostook  paddles  about  two  hundred  miles  through  the  wilderness 
before  reaching  a  sign  of  civilization,  the  first  house  being  that  of  Philip  Painter,  while  the 
second  habitation,  one  mile  further  on,  is  that  of  William  Botting,  situated  on  the  right 
bank,  at  a  bend  of  the  Aroostook  River,  called  the  Oxbow.  Innumerable  lakes  and  ponds 
are  spread  out  before  one  on  this  chart  like  shot  holes  in  a  target.  These  and  many  other 
points  of  interest  recommend  this  new  survey  of  Mr.  Steele  to  the  camper-out  in  the  wilds 
of  Maine.  The  map  is  published  by  Estes  &  Lauriat,  of  Boston,  and  is  mailed,  post-paid, 
for  $1.00  per  copy."  —  Forest  and  Stream. 

PRICE,   $1.00. 
Sent,  post-paid,  on  receipt  of  price,  by 

E8TE:S    «fe    I.^A.XJRIAT,    r»iil>lisliers, 

301-305  Washington  Street,  Boston,  Mass 


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